


Adore You

by fairylightinthenight



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2019-12-25 19:26:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 61,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18267848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairylightinthenight/pseuds/fairylightinthenight
Summary: Ron wakes up one day at a hospital with a memory loss. His life has drastically changed - for the better mostly - but one thing is definitely worse: apparently, he's no longer friends with Hermione and no one wants to tell him why. So Ron decides to rediscover his memories to find out what happened.Modern and Muggle AU / No Magic/ Fremione / slow, slow burnIt's no real Ron 'bashing' but rather a real character development throughout the story. I love Ron as a character and I hope I did his character justice even though he doesn't end up with Hermione.





	1. The Wake Up

Ron Weasley woke up when the midday sun blared into his face, annoyingly bright and much too early for his taste. He could have slept for hours. He blinked and felt a pulsating pain in the back of his head. It felt like his head could burst open any moment.

Oh, good god, that has to be the worst hangover in my life, he thought compunctious. He couldn't remember why and when and where and how much he had drunken. That was the first indication of either a really amazing or immensely horrible night. He thought about turning around and just go back to sleep again when his plans were crossed.

"You're awake!" The excited voice of his sister Ginny infiltrated his hammering head. Why was she in his room? His roommates wouldn't be pleased with his little sister hanging around. Maybe they were all already out? And he also wasn't pleased with her invading his privacy.

Confused Ron opened his eyes and realised that he wasn't in his dorm room in Hogwarts. White sheets, visitor chairs, beeping monitors. He was at a hospital. An intravenous infusion was hanging on his arm and a clear liquid dripped into his system. He was the only patient in the room. His sister was lounging on a line of uncomfortable looking plastic chairs and slowly she got up, stretching her muscles.

"What happened?" He asked and Ginny flashed him a relieved smile. She appeared tired and was wearing a crinkled black dress and high heels. She looked like she came from a party and had been awake the whole night. Her make-up was smeared and her eyes red from either from being awake too long or from crying. Ron wasn't sure which one it was. Sometime along this night, her red hair had been tied into a bun, but now loose strands were flying around her head. It completed her overall messy look.

"You decided to use your birthday to drink yourself senseless, you prat. And when they threw us out of the pub because of you, you fell and hit your big head pretty bad on the kerbstone. But no big deal. The doctors said you probably have a minor concussion and you had to sleep away your intoxication." Ginny stood up and hugged Ron lightly.

"Well, that explains the headache," Ron croaked. Eagerly Ginny handed him a glass of water. While he took a large sip, the door opened tentatively and three young men tried to enter as quietly as possible. One had shaggy black hair and glasses and the other two were twins with bright red hair and a mischievous twinkle in their eyes. Ron grinned at the sight of his best friend and two older brothers and the three grinned right back when they saw that he was awake.

"You gave us a right fright, baby brother." Fred flopped down on the hospital bed, slinging an arm around Ron's shoulder, while George pulled a chair to his side. Both smirked but Ron could see that they were genuinely worried. Harry instead handed Ginny a bag, who seated herself again in a chair, said something about fresh clothes, and kissed her as a greeting square on the lips. Ron grinned in surprise. When did that happen? Probably sometime last night. He cursed himself for not remembering it. Harry had been pining after Ginny for over a year and no matter how much everyone tried to reassure him that Ginny was interested, Harry had been hesitant. Well, apparently he had finally made his move last night. And Ron had erased this memory of his mind forever.

"I swear, I don't remember a thing. Not even the last few days. Everything is a bit blurry. I'm not even sure where we are right now. Must have been a hell of a party."

"Yeah, the doctor said that you could have a few problems with your memory in the next days due to the concussion. But it should get better soon." Ginny explained and Ron leaned back to watch his best friend and sister. They were totally at ease with each other. Familiar, happy and perfect together. A little sting of jealousy hit him right in the heart at that sight. Harry had managed to get his girl. And Ron was as far away from wooing Hermione as ever. Instead, he had probably made an idiot out of himself yesterday night. Hermione hated it when they drank too much. Internally he cursed himself, but then he realised she wasn't there. Where was she?

Pure panic rushed through his veins. Had he made such a fool out of himself that she didn't even want to be here? Hermione Granger was his best friend since they were eleven years old and she was the most caring person in the world. She was always there when he and Harry hurt themselves. She scolded them for their idiocy, but she was always there. Even during their sixth year, when Ron had had this nasty food poisoning, she had been there. Despite the fact that they hadn't really spoken for months because of some stupid fight. Hermione should be here. Should have been waiting for him to wake up instead of Ginny. Why wasn't she?

"So, I guess we had a pretty epic night?" Ron tried to joke. "And where is Hermione? Somehow it's not the same without her calling me a stupid prat for drinking too much. I thought she would have a field day with ranting about common-sense." Ron looked first at Ginny and Harry, then at Fred and George. But there all had the same confused and worried expression.

"Hermione?" Ginny blinked puzzled. "As far as I know she's still in Paris."

"What? Since when?" Ron felt himself get angry. Why was his best friend not here, not even in the country? And why was she away in the middle of the school year?

"Does that mean she wasn't there on my birthday?" He almost yelled.

"I'll be right back." George got up from his chair and vanished out of the room. Irritated Ron watched after his brother and had the odd feeling that some detail or information was withheld from him.

"Well, yes. Hermione wasn't there." Harry answered this time but he seemed equally confused as Ginny.

"Why?" Ron demanded. Slowly he felt his temper rise and he had half a mind to just phone call his traitorous best friend. Beside him, Fred began to skid nervously from the bed and instead settled on a chair beside Harry.

"Ron, why are you asking about Hermione?" His older brother asked with a worried face. This kind of expression wasn't fitting for the normally joking twin and it made Ron also nervous. His anger calmed down a bit.

"Well, she's my best friend. She should be here." Ron said and blushed at his own words. His older brothers didn't know about his feelings for Hermione. No one knew, besides Harry. But Fred, Harry and Ginny watched him now like he had grown a second head.

Fortunately, at this moment the door opened and George stepped back in with a doctor in tow.

"Hello, Mr Weasley. My name is Augustus Pye and I'm your doctor. Are you aware that you are at St. Mungo's in London?" The young man stepped forward and pulled out a little flashlight to look into Ron's eyes.

"Why are we in London?" Ron asked irritated. His mum would be angry enough with him being at the hospital but being in London during the school year really was too much. He glared at the twins. It had been probably their idea to sneak out of the castle and celebrate in London. Their mum would be so pissed, especially since Ginny was also here.

"I take that as a no." The doctor rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed by the lack of attention from his patient.

"He's asking really weird questions." Fred interrupted.

"Yes, your twin already said so. Okay, Mr Weasley, I will have to ask you a few questions." Doctor Pye frowned.

"Can you tell me the date?"

"March, the second 2014." He whispered back and somehow he had the feeling this was the false answer. But his mind was fuzzy and the right one just wasn't there. The doctor only nodded.

"Where are you going to school?"

"I'm a pupil at Hogwarts, that's a boarding school."

"Good, lastly can you tell me where you live?"

"During the school year at the Gryffindor dorm and during holidays at my parents' house in Ottery St Catchpole."

"Very well," the doctor smiled sympathetically. "Mr Weasley, it seems you have a memory loss due to the fall on your head last night. That can happen with a concussion, but it's quite... tremendous in your case. Today is indeed March the second, but the year is 2018. And from what I see here you live and study in London since summer 2014. We will have to do some tests to check for any other head traumas. You will have to stay at least till tomorrow." Pye smiled reassuringly and then turned to Ron's siblings and best friend.

"You can stay for a few more minutes but I will have to ask you not to upset him. Memory loss can be quite overwhelming and too much information won't do him good. Someone will call you when he's ready to leave the hospital." Harry and Ginny nodded silently while Fred and George stared at him with wide eyes. As soon as the doctor left the room, George exhaled loudly.

"Mum will kill us." He whimpered.

"Yeah, she will blame us for breaking her baby boy." Fred scowled.

"Well, I'm going to dress. You guys can do the talking." Ginny stood up and left for the small bathroom. Ron saw how Harry followed her with his eyes.

"So, when exactly did that happen? You and my little sister? The last thing I remember is that you were stalking her during soccer practice." Harry flushed bright red.

"A few weeks before our graduation, after the final exams. Do you remember the party after the last exam?" Ron shook his head. He didn't even remember taking his finals.

"Well, I was so happy to finally be over and done with it, that I drank a bit too much and tried to flirt with her. Made a big fool out of myself." At this, the twins laughed loudly.

"Big fool-" George snickered and Fred took over.

"-nice way to describe it."

"From what we heard-

"-and we really regret not being there-"

-ickle Harry here confessed his undying love in front of the whole school."

"Almost yelled it at her."

"Then tried to kiss her and instead-"

"Puked right on her feet!" Both twins finished with a gleeful smirk.

"Yeah, thanks for the reminder." Harry glared at them. "Everyone thought it was hilarious, except for me. But the next day Ginny waited for me at the great hall before breakfast and asked me if I was serious. And since then-"

"Since then they are the sappiest and annoying fairy tale couple ever. It's nauseating how happy they are." George interrupted and rolled his eyes in pretended annoyance.

"And shagging like rabbits, nothing for innocent eyes and ears." Fred waggled his eyebrows and Harry and George started to laugh at him.

"Oi, I heard that, Fred! Are you jealous?" Ginny's amused voice called from the bathroom. Ron, on the other hand, felt his face heat up. Sex talk had always been uncomfortable for him, mainly because he was pretty insecure around girls, but sex talk with and about his siblings was the worst. The twins had always been confident and relaxed with these things. They had already been ladies' men in school, like Bill and even Percy had been, and it always intimated Ron. But Harry now talking and joking with them was new and kind of strange. Last thing Ron remembered Harry was as awkward with women like him. Had made a fool out of himself with Cho Chang in the fifth year. Amused Fred, George and Harry eyed him.

"Mate, are you blushing?" Harry smirked and the twins almost rolled on the floor laughing.

"I forgot how easy it was to embarrass you. Haven't seen that in years." Harry watched Ron as if he wanted to memorise the exact colour of Ron's red face.

"Leave him alone, you gits. He just woke up and the doctor said we shouldn't upset him" Ginny came out of the bathroom in a pair of jeans and a purple top. Her hair was neatly combed and pulled back into a ponytail. Now Ron could easily see that she was older than in his memories. She was no longer a sixteen-year-old teenage girl but a young woman. Ron realised now how mature she appeared. She was taller and slimmer, had outgrown of her baby face.

Ron eyed Harry curious. He had also changed, taller and more muscular. More man than boy. He was wearing different glasses, stylish ones and Ron suspected that Ginny had helped with that. His hair was still shaggy, but it looked better. Or maybe it was because Harry generally looked happier.

Fred and George hadn't changed that much. They had always been confident and good looking. The last time Ron remembered seeing them was at Christmas 2013 when they had met at their parents' home. The twins didn't look that different. They were still muscular and fit, handsome and probably very popular with the ladies.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Ginny asked, ripping him out of his mind, and sat down beside Ron.

"I think sometime before my birthday. My 18th Birthday, I mean. Our last year at Hogwarts. I remember being at the lake, I think. But it's a bit blurry."

"Fuck," Fred whispered, and George and Harry nodded in agreement. Ginny tilted her head and watched Ron carefully.

"I think it's best we go home now. You should rest, Ron. We talk tomorrow." Ginny hugged him and everyone said their goodbyes. Ron was left alone in his room with more questions than answers. And it hadn't escaped him that no one told him why Hermione wasn't here at his side and hadn't been to his birthday party.


	2. The Homecoming

Ron had to endure several tests for the rest of the day. They drew blood, scanned his head and made him do several tests where he had to match pictures with names. He was told that the doctors wanted to eliminate that he had a major head injury. He was brought from room to room, from examination to examination, from doctor to doctor.

At the end of the day, Ron was knackered. His hammering headache was slowly getting worse and he was glad when the nurses brought him back to his room. Fortunately, they gave him a strong painkiller and sleep-inducing drug to help him relax and heal. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the cushion.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Fred flopped down on the broad sofa next to his little sister and took a beer from his twin's hand. George settled down on the floor opposite of Fred and opened another bottle for himself. Harry was the last to join them. He was rubbing his forehead slowly like he had a headache. Well, Fred guessed, he probably had one. They all were still hungover and hadn't slept much last night. Ron landing in the hospital hadn't been exactly a stress-free night for all of them.

"Well, I think it's time to address the elephant in the room." Fred started and as always his twin picked up.

"How do we explain what happened between him and Hermione?" George guessed and of course he was right. That was the big, pink, hula dancing elephant in the room they were ignoring since Ron asked for Hermione at the hospital. Fred almost had had a heart attack when Ron had spoken Hermione's name. He couldn't even remember the last time his little brother had spoken about his former best friend.

"Do we have to?" Harry began to scratch nervously at the label of his bottle.

"Maybe we are lucky and his memories come back of his own? Because I really don't want to have this conversation." Harry sighed.

"Did you see his face? When he asked for Hermione and we said she wasn't there?" Ginny asked and took a large sip of her beer.

"Yeah," George nodded. "He thinks they are still best friends. He doesn't remember the fight."

"It will destroy him when we tell him about Hermione." Harry sighed, finally being successful in destroying the label.

"Who knows," Fred muttered. "Maybe it won't be so bad. I mean, three years ago it was pretty easy for him to end the friendship." Fred mimicked his sister and took a large sip from his beer.

"I wouldn't count on that. At that time the circumstances had been different. He had been together with Romilda Vane." Ginny hissed like every time she said the name of Ron's ex-girlfriend. Fred knew exactly why she was so peeved. He crinkled his nose and the faces of George and Harry mirrored his disgust.

Romilda Vane had been a nightmare. She was an egoistic cow, who had broken Ron's heart more than once. But most importantly she had single-handedly ended the friendship between Ron and Hermione with her manipulations. No one really knows what the cow had said or done to Hermione - not even Ron - but they were absolutely sure this whole mess was her fault. Fred and the others had been more than a little bit glad when Ron has finally ended the relationship after almost two and a half terrible years. Since then they all waited for the day when Ron would man up and try to contact Hermione. But the git was so stubborn, probably because of his own guilty conscience.

"Maybe we should call Hermione and tell her about it," Harry suggested in a timid voice. Fred knew that Harry missed his friendship with Hermione. They still had contact and met regularly, but it probably wasn't the same.

"No," George responded firmly. "The doctor said we shouldn't upset him. Let's just wait and see what happens. And till then we will tell him as little as possible and as much as necessary."

"But maybe meeting Hermione could bring his memories back," Ginny stated.

"Yeah, but I don't want to be anywhere near the two when Ron gets his memories back. That will be like being in a cage with two fighting lions." Fred joked but it sounded bitter even in his own ears.

The rest of the evening they spent with making a plan of what to tell and not to tell Ron. And so, the first round of beer quickly turned into two, turned into three till they were all tipsy and in a better mood.

"You know," Ginny slurred. "Now that we know what to tell Ron, what do we tell all the others? The family? His friends?"

"We can't tell mum!" Fred and George blurted out simultaneously.

"That's true. She will kill us all." Ginny muttered to herself. "But we have to inform people. Our whole plan will go down when one of them blabs." Absent-mindedly Ginny grabbed her mobile phone when it cheeped and Fred could see how an idea hit her head. For a minute or so she furiously typed something into the mobile and soon Fred, George and Harry heard beeps from their own mobiles.

Curiously Fred unlocked his and saw that Ginny had added him to a new WhatsApp group chat with the name The Bourne Identity. Fred chuckled at the name and added a fitting picture as a group icon. It was from last night and showed Ron with a happy grin and a pint of beer.

"Now we can tell everyone at the same time and we can also share information on Ron. Who should I add?" Ginny smiled proudly.

"Neville, Dean, Seamus," Harry began counting on his fingers and Ginny added the new people. "Parvati, Lavender. Maybe Oliver Wood, they occasionally meet to watch soccer matches."

"Bill, Fleur, Charlie and Percy. Keeping it from mum will be easier if they are on board." Fred added. Maybe they would have to send some more explanations and pleadings to Percy, but as long as Ron was being taken care of their brother would surely keep his mouth shut.

"Sirius, Remus and Tonks," Harry supplied further. "They will find out anyway."

"Angie, Lee and Katie," George called from the floor where he was laying with already closed eyes.

"How about Luna, Colin and Hannah?" Ginny asked and everyone nodded their approval. Luna and Colin were friends and Hannah was Neville's girlfriend so she would know soon enough anyway.

"Verity from the shop. And I will inform the other clerks tomorrow." Fred yawned.

"Okay, I think that's it for now. I will write what happened, what the doctor said and ask everyone to be careful what they say to Ron." Ginny yawned too. From the floor, Fred heard soft snoring and saw that his twin was already asleep. Groaning Fred got up, nudged George awake and made his way to the door.

"Thanks, Gin. Let's hope and pray that he wakes up tomorrow morning and his memory is back in place." With a wave, Fred and George left the flat, walked down one storey and entered their own flat. Soon enough Fred was fast asleep and dreamed of the last time he had seen the brown-haired girl. She had been screaming at Ron with hot tears in her eyes, leaving the flat above like she was on the run. Two days later she moved to Paris.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

The next morning Ron woke up in his hospital bed feeling slightly better. His head was still hurting, but he had no longer this blurry feeling clouding his mind. He wasn't sure if that was because he hadn't gotten his medicine yet or because his head was actually healing.

After a terrible hospital breakfast, that filled him with an odd homesickness for Hogwarts, he was allowed to walk a bit on his own. Ron took a shower and was relieved to see that Harry had also brought fresh clothes for him the day before. Clad in some jeans and a shirt, both looked new and not like hand-me-downs or second hand, he walked to the mirror. He wasn't sure what to expect. Would he even recognise himself or had he changed too much in the last years? Harry, Ginny and the twins had changed, but not so much. He took a last deep breath and looked into the mirror.

He was surprised. Of course, he recognised himself, he hadn't changed that much, but enough to be confused for a moment. Because Ron Weasley, and it felt strange to think so about himself, was looking good. No, not only good but really handsome. He was still tall and lanky, but his shoulders, his back and his arms were muscular. Not too much, but enough to look fit and strong and Ron pondered how that happened. Was he lifting weights? He was filling his clothes perfectly and was now sure that they were new and bought just for him. A completely unfamiliar sensation. As far as Ron could remember he had always worn the clothes of his older brothers. But not only were the clothes new, but they also looked expensive. He shrugged and examined his face.

His hair was shorter than at school and it looked definitely better that way. It was still red and his eyes were still blue, but he looked without a doubt older. The lines of his face were sharper and manlier, reminding him oddly of his oldest brother Bill. But thankfully he recognised himself easily and it calmed him down immensely.

Twenty-two, he thought wistfully. Four years of his life lost and erased. How much would have everything changed? He only knew life at Hogwarts, sheltered at one of the best boarding schools of the country. The doctor had said Ron was studying and living in London, but what and where? God, he didn't even know where he lived. Ron felt a wave of helplessness wash over him and dropped down on the bed. He wanted this to end. Wanted his memories back so that he could go back to his life.

For a while, he stared at the ceiling and tried not to think about anything at all. It worked surprisingly well, but Ron guessed it wasn't that hard when you had nothing important to think about. All the things he could remember and ponder about where already in the past.

When the nurses came to bring him to his last check-up, he was finished by counting the tiles on the ceiling. Obediently he followed all instructions, repeated several examinations and then waited and waited and waited for someone to tell him what was wrong with him. After what felt like an eternity doctor Pye came to his room.

"Mr Weasley, how are you feeling today?" Pye smiled, but his eyes were already on the case sheet in his hands. Ron guessed he could see anything he needed to know there since five different people asked Ron the same question today and wrote everything down.

"My head still hurts a bit and my memories are still lost." Ron shrugged.

"As you know, we made several tests and I have good news for you. You have no head trauma or any other internal injuries and your concussion is already healing were well. That means your memory will probably come back by itself in the next few days. I will give a prescription for painkillers and a sleeping-draught for two weeks. Please come back for a check-up in two weeks, no matter if your memory is back or not. Do you have any questions?" Pye handed Ron a piece of paper.

"So, there's nothing you can do for my memories? I just have to wait?"

"Yes, rest is essential for your regeneration and the best for now. You can try to trigger your memory by asking for stories and familiar places. But be cautious to not exhaust yourself, you will probably get regular headaches in the next weeks. If your memories aren't back in two weeks we can talk about other options. But in most cases, it heals naturally." Ron grumbled a Thank You, his mother would've had a fit at his disrespect.

"Your sister is informed and will pick you up. See you in two weeks, Mr Weasley." Pye left the room and Ron was as smart as before. Wonderful, his only option was to sit around and wait for his memory to come back.

A deep sigh escaped him as Ginny and Harry entered the room with nervous smiles.

"How are you?" Harry asked and Ron groaned involuntarily.

"If anyone asks me again today I'm going to scream." Harry rolled his eyes.

"I count that as Thank you, I'm fine."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just get me out of here."

"We already signed all your papers and we have your medicine." Ginny grinned and pulled Ron with her.

Outside of the hospital they caught a cab and made their way home. The ride was relaxing for Ron because it was familiar even without his memories. He had taken the train from London to Hogwarts every year and of course, had visited Hermione and her parents together with Harry.

When they reached their goal, Ron was beyond surprised. They were in front of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the shop slash bar of Fred and George. They had opened it after their graduation, horrifying their mum by declining to go to university, with the help of Harry and Sirius.

Ron vividly remembered the first time he had been here and was happy that it still seemed the same.

The outside of the corner house was decorated with bright colours like purple and orange and the windows displayed several different bottles. WWW, how everyone was calling it, sold handmade, environmentally friendly and creative products like different sorts of alcohol, chocolate, soaps, joke products and cosmetic. Additionally, the shop was a café by day, with self-made cakes and the best coffee, and a stylish bar by night, famous for its own cocktail creations, the self-made alcohol and the fresh ingredients. It was a weird combination of products that didn't seem to fit together in one shop, but for WWW it worked. The twins had been successful from day one, had built up an online shop and could afford several clerks.

Seeing the shop filled Ron with an odd feeling of pride and happiness and he guessed that he spent a lot of time there.

He followed Harry and Ginny inside and marvelled at the sight. In front were the tables with all kinds of products any Ron saw on one glance that the twins had been busy with inventing these last years. In the back were small tables with cosy chairs and sofas. A large bar filled the right wall completely and displayed hundreds of alcohol bottles in front of a large mirror.

George was behind the bar, talking to a blonde woman who Ron remembered vaguely as Verity, the first employee the twins had hired.

"The shop is brilliant." Ron grinned at Fred, who came out of the backroom.

"I know," Fred smirked. "Anything that triggers your memory?" He asked and stared at Ron as if he was waiting for something.

"No, nothing special. Just that I really like it here."

"Well, that's nice to hear. Georgie and I are proud of our good working environment." Fred winked, but that only confused Ron.

"And that's important...?" He asked.

"You're working here part-time, mate." Harry filled in. Ginny meanwhile was strolling to the bar to talk with George.

"Here? What the hell made me work for these two lunatics?" As much as Ron loved his brothers, it seemed crazy that he would work for them.

"The payment, mainly." Fred chuckled. "And the close proximity to home. Took us quite a time to convince you to work here."

"Yeah, and then you insisted on these ridiculous conditions in your contract," George called from the bar.

"What conditions?" With a grin, Fred started to count his finger while he listed.

"We are not allowed to call you ickle Ronniekins or any other nickname at work. We are not allowed to test new products on you without your knowledge and permission. We are not allowed to humiliate you in front of customers," at this Fred rolled his eyes, "as we would ever do something so stupid. And we are obligated to tell mum on a regular basis what a wonderful employee and enrichment for the shop you are."

"Sounds good." Ron felt pride swell for his own accomplishment at having such a deal with the twins. Fred laughed at that and threw his arm around Ron's shoulder.

"Let's get you home." He led Ron through the backroom to the staircase and up to the second floor. Harry unlocked the door.

The flat was identically constructed as the twins' flat on the first floor. The main area was a large living room with an open kitchen, furnished with broad, blue sofas, a fluffy carpet, a large TV and a table with chairs near the kitchen. Ron guessed that this flat also had three bedrooms and two bathrooms and a balcony.

"Your room is the second to the left." Harry showed Ron.

"We are living here? I thought we wanted to move to Grimmauld Place after graduation? Sirius wanted to renovate."

"Oh," Harry and Fred laughed out loud and sat on the sofa. Ron followed them and took a plush armchair.

"We lived there for like two months." Harry began to explain. "You remember Mr Kreacher? The old butler? Turned out that Sirius' mum, the old witch, stated in her last will that he had the right to life at the servant's quarters as long as he wished. And he wishes to live there for the rest of his life." Harry snorted.

"First we thought it wouldn't be a problem and moved in. But Mr Kreacher, unfortunately, was diagnosed shortly after with Alzheimer's disease. He often forgets that he is no longer working for his Lady Black and started to intrude the rest of the house. Then he yelled at us and called the police because he thought we were burglars. So, we moved in here when the twins chased away their neighbours."

"What kind of terrible neighbours are you?"

"Oh, little brother, let's just say we knew of your misery and made it a mission to help you." Fred winked. "Okay, lads. I have to go back to work. Have fun catching up." Fred ambled to the door but then turned.

"Oh, and Ron, if mum ever asks. Ginny is living with George and me and of course, no one of us allows her to stay overnight with Harry."

"Why?" Ron asked but knew at the same time that it was a very dumb question.

"Because our dear mother seems to think people can only have sex at night and in a bed." Fred cackled and Ron raised an eyebrow at Harry, who just shrugged.

"Ginny has a room in the twins' flat but she stays mostly with us. Okay," Harry hauled a big photo album on the table. "Let's start with our last year at school."


	3. The Photographs

Harry opened the large album and browsed to a specific page. Curious Ron sat down beside his best friend and looked at the pictures.

"You said you could remember till sometime around a day at the lake, right? I think, or better I hope, it's this day." Harry pointed at one picture. It showed Harry and Ron sitting on a blanket at the shore of the sea together with Dean, Seamus, Parvati and Padma on Ron's right side. Lavender was sitting on Ron's lap and he cringed a bit at that sight. To Harry's left side sat Ginny, who Harry was dumbly smiling at, Neville and Hermione. It had been the first warm and sunny day of the year in the middle of March and they had all decided to relocate their study session outside.

Ron's gaze remained on Hermione. She was sitting between Neville and Ginny, laughing at something, and looked simply beautiful. Her wild curls were flying in the wind. Ron vaguely remembered that Colin had made the photo without any of them being aware of it. They were all just laughing and talking.

"I remember that day. It was the day I got irrationally jealous at Seamus because Hermione was helping him study. I think it was the day I admitted to you that I'm in love with Hermione, but I had known it for months. Lavender was so angry because I didn't pay her enough attention." Ron sighed.

"Yeah, I remember that. I was trying to get you to break up with her for weeks. But-"

"But I was a coward. The worst is I don't remember breaking up. We did break up, didn't we?" Ron's heart skipped a bit in fear. He liked Lavender, always had, it had just taken him an awfully long time to realise that it wasn't love.

"Yeah, you just broke up one day. Roughly a month after that picture was taken, late April I think. But don't ask why and how. You both just came down to breakfast that morning, told everyone you weren't a couple anymore and then ignored each other till graduation. Never told me why, but it seemed like Lavender was pretty angry at you."

"Well, fuck."

"Yeah, so ready for the rest of our seventh year?" Ron nodded silently, trying to force his mind into remembering the break-up.

"These are from the weeks before the finals. Colin had a field day with photographing us during studying. He got some pretty good shots." Ron studied the double page and smiled to himself.

There were pictures of him and his friends studying practically everywhere at the castle. In the common room of Gryffindor tower, at the table in the great hall, of course in the library and at the lake. There was even one of Hermione reading a book while walking to the next class.

_"Mione, you will hurt yourself." Harry groaned and tried to wrestle the book out of Hermione's hands. But she was too strong and just walked faster._

_"I'm perfectly fine, Harry." She snapped back and flopped down on the bench. Quickly she took some breakfast and continued to read while eating. Ron sat discretely next to her. His break-up with Lavender hadn't been long ago and he didn't want to bugger things up._

_"Mione, do you have time to study math with me later?" He asked as normal as possible._

_"Sure," she answered absent-mindedly. Then McGonagall showed up with the post and handed Hermione a letter. But instead of opening it, Hermione packed it into her bag and continued to read._

_"Don't you want to open it?" Ron asked curiously._

_"No." Hermione again answered shortly._

_"What's with you today? Can't you answer in full sentences?" Ron asked angrily even when he knew it wasn't wise to provoke Hermione like that over nothing._

_"I'm studying, Ronald. The finals are in two weeks." She hissed and he flinched at the use of his full name. For some reason, she was tight-lipped and cranky since weeks and Ron wasn't sure if the only reason was the stress._

"I just remembered something. Nothing important, but a small bit." Harry smiled happily and turned to the next page.

"These are from the after-finals-party where I confessed my feelings to Ginny." Harry grinned shyly and Ron eyed the pictures carefully. Apparently, they had snuck out of the castle into the shrieking shack, an old house nearby that was popular with couples. The pictures were obviously taken at the beginning of the party. Everyone was drinking, dancing and in a good mood, but no one was obviously drunk. Ron stared at every picture for a long time, but nothing came to his mind. Shrugging he signalled Harry to keep going.

"Okay, these are from the graduation and the after-party." Harry showed him the next two pages. There were pictures of him with his parents, proudly showing off his diploma. Pictures of Harry with Sirius, Remus and Tonks, who had a small baby in her arms. Ron remembered that Tonks had been pregnant and realised that this child was now already four years old.

With a smile he saw pictures of Hermione with her parents and Hermione on stage, holding the graduation speech.

"Of course, Hermione was top of our year."

"Sirius and Remus still call her the brightest girl of her age." Harry chuckled. The party pictures didn't ring a bell for Ron, so they skipped them. Next were pictures of Sirius' townhouse in London. It was obviously a party, but in one picture was a big banner with the caption _Goodbye Hermione and Good Luck._ Confused Ron pointed at the picture.

"Oh," Harry stared at the ground. "I guess you don't remember because Hermione only told us after the finals." Harry paused for a moment.

"She applied as a volunteer on Charlie's wildlife reserve. She stayed there for a whole year." It wasn't really memories that came back to Ron, but instead feelings. He remembered that he had been angry and hurt because Hermione only told them after she had accepted the volunteer position. And he remembered how afraid he had been to miss his chance with Hermione. He had wanted to confess at all costs.

"I wanted to tell her at the farewell party, I think. Did I do it?"

"No, you tried to gain a bit of liquid courage and overdid it. You passed out before you had the opportunity and Hermione was quite miffed when you didn't show up at the airport to send her off." Ron felt the need to puke and the headache started to hammer again in his head. Now he knew what doctor Pye had meant when he said that it could be exhausting.

"That's from the day I moved out with the Dursley's." Harry pointed proudly at a photo of him in an empty bedroom and another with Ron, Sirius, Remus and Harry in front of a car, packed with suitcases. After Harry's parents had died in a car crash the court had deemed Sirius to young and irresponsible to raise a child and gave the custody to Harry's aunt and uncle, who had been horrified by the idea of raising a _foreign_ child. They never had openly neglected Harry - because losing unwanted custody would have been an absolute disgrace - but never tried to give him a happy childhood. They even prevented Sirius and Remus from contacting Harry, till both found a way when Harry began to attend Hogwarts. Since then Harry had spent most of his holidays with Sirius at the Burrow or with Ron at one of the many Black estates. The day of Harry's 18th birthday had therefore been an eagerly anticipated event.

Ron smiled a bit at the happy face of his best friend. Moving out from the Dursley's had certainly been good for him. And once again Ron wished he could remember such an important day. His headache gradually got worse until he only saw the photographs as a blur.

"I think I need a break. I will take a nap." Ron only needed two attempts to find the right room, ignoring Harry's worried gazes and flopped down on his bed. His head throbbed mercilessly and he was glad when he finally fell asleep.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

When Ron woke up he had no desire to see Harry, Ginny or Fred and George. He needed some time alone and process everything. Somehow his friendship with Hermione wasn't good, that much was clear. But he dreaded to directly ask someone.

In an attempt to side-track himself he grabbed his phone. Maybe it would give him some clues about his life. It was a different model than he had four years ago, it was new and seemed expensive. He was over the moon when he tried his usual PIN and it still worked. With slightly shaky hands he unlocked the display. This thing was probably the key to his life. To his lost four years. He would find all his contacts, photos and messages. It could help him. It had to help him.

After he had unlocked the display it instantly showed him dozens of new messages via WhatsApp, missed calls, two short messages and alerts from various apps.

Swamped by all these notifications he checked the missed calls first. Two were from his parents and he seriously hoped that Ginny or the twins had taken care of that already. He wasn't sure if he could cope with his mum right now. One other call was from Harry the night of his birthday, and two were from people whose names didn't ring a bell. With a sigh, he opened the short messages. They were all well wishes for his birthday. Two were from Percy and Charlie and Ron snorted when he realised that his older brothers still hadn't installed WhatsApp on their mobiles. The other messages were from Remus and Tonks and even Hagrid. Ron smiled a bit at the long message from the giant gamekeeper.

Critically he opened Instagram next. At the age of 18, he hadn't used this app and had often laughed about Ginny when she posted pictures there. Surprised Ron realised that he himself didn't share much about his life, only five pictures of food and drinking beer with friends. Nothing special or interesting. But nonetheless he had over 300 followers and that confused him immensely. Even at Hogwarts, he hadn't known the names of more than maybe a hundred people.

Interested he opened the list with people he followed and searched the list for familiar names. Quickly he found Ginny. She was still very active, shared pictures of coffee, sports sessions, vacations and her friends. Ron and Harry were on most of the pictures as well as Luna Lovegood and Fred and George. He scrolled down in hope to find something that would trigger his memory when he stumbled over an old picture of Ginny and Hermione.

It showed Hermione, Ginny and Gabrielle Delacour in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. All three were wearing coats and woolly hats, but still, Hermione managed to look beautiful. Ginny and Hermione had visited Gabrielle there during the winter holidays of their seventh year. Somehow the two had befriended Fleur's little sister at the wedding the previous summer since Gabrielle was the same age as Ginny. Ron remembered vividly how envious he had been that Ginny was allowed to spend a vacation abroad, while he was at home with his parents. But his envy had of course been fuelled by his true feelings, his jealousy. And this specific picture had been the reason he finally realised that he was in love with his best friend.

_"Holy shit," George let out a low whistle and Fred smacked him lightly on the head. Both twins were staring at something on Fred's mobile and curious Ron looked over their shoulders._

_"What the hell? Doesn't Ginny have some kind of sense for privacy." He had snorted but the twins were unconcerned._

_"Forget Ginny, did you see Granger?" George asked with a gleeful smirk and Fred grabbed his phone back with an eye-roll._

_"Don't let Angelina hear that, Georgie." Fred teased._

_"Oh please, Freddie. Don't tell me you haven't recognised how Granger-" Another smack followed and George pouted. "Stop hitting me for stating the obvious."_

_The twins left bickering in their typical way and Ron had been left alone with a vivid picture in his mind. He wasn't blind. He knew since forever that Hermione was indeed a beautiful and quite sexy woman, no longer the eleven-year-old he had met on the train. But till now it had never bothered him that other men could think the same. That was the moment it had clicked._

_Ron had always been sensitive to Hermione's relationship. He hadn't liked Krum since he was clearly too old and experienced for her. And hating Cormac McLaggen was a given. The git had tried to steal his position on the Gryffindor team and had been a royal arse towards Hermione. Sure, she was always miffed when he acted all overprotective, but that's what friends are for, right? Just that he realised at this moment that his intention hadn't been to protect her. He had been jealous._

Somehow it was like destiny that Ron was now looking at that picture. He stared at it for minutes, trying to imagine how Hermione would look now, four years later. Was her hair still as long and curly? Was she still burying her nose in a book whenever she could?

But before Ron could ponder too long he saw that Ginny had marked Hermione in the picture. His heart made an excited jump when he clicked on her account _GrangerDanger_ , only to be disappointed.

 _This account is private._ _Follow this account to see their photos and videos._

Ron was hesitant to press the button to follow Hermione. He didn't know why. It was from Hermione. She was his best friend. Why would it be a big deal to just follow her account and wait for permission to look at her photos. It wasn't weird, right? But obviously, it was. He hadn't done it in the last years, so there had to be a reason.

Quickly he closed the app and opened Facebook instead. Half-heartedly he noticed the congratulations for his birthday on his profile and in a few private messages. Most of the people were strangers to him. Apparently, he had made a lot of new friends in the last years. His profile showed 437 _friends_ , but most of them were unfamiliar to him.

Bored Ron surfed through the various notifications and messages on Facebook, always hoping for a flash of memories to hit him. Finally, he gave in to his own curiosity and clicked on Hermione's profile.

Relieved he saw that they were at least still Facebook friends. Maybe Instagram was only an accidental slip? Maybe he didn't use it as much and wasn't following Hermione therefore. With a pounding heart, Ron started his quest to get information about his best friend.

Surprised he noticed that Hermione was rarely posting anything about herself, close to nothing actually. Her profile picture showed her in front of a café in Paris, sitting on a small table with a menu playfully covering half her face. Frustrated Ron saw the date. The picture was almost three years old. And all other information he could get were also either old or obvious. Hermione had Paris as her current place of residence and London as her hometown.

A snort escaped Ron when he realised that he behaved like a stalker, a poor one.

Eager to get back to his initial mission of triggering his memories he opened WhatsApp and scrolled through the list of his open chats. Like before he barely recognised the names of the people who congratulated him to his birthday. By now he desperately wished that he hadn't lost his memory on his birthday of all days. It made this whole mess so much more exhausting and depressing.

But at least he still seemed to be friends with a few of his closest friends from Hogwarts. With Dean, Seamus, Harry and a few other people, he had a group chat to meet for beer and poker. With Harry, Ginny, Fred and George he had a group named _Living Room_ , where they apparently discussed everything from their living conditions to party planning, from cooking evenings to teasing each other. Apparently, she wrote quite often with Sirius and Bill, who sent him pictures of a little girl with blonde hair. Shocked Ron realised that his eldest brother had a daughter and if the icon of Fleur was true, then they had a second already on the way. Nervously he scrolled down more and more till the end, searching for an open chat with Hermione. But there was none.

A dull feeling spread through his stomach and he had the need to puke. The rational part of his mind argued that it was perfectly normal for people to drift apart, to get estranged. It wasn't impossible that Hermione and he just lost contact over the years. With her living in Paris it seemed logical. But the 18-year-old in him was distraught by this idea. Not being friends with Hermione was impossible and certainly not acceptable.

With a determined jump, Ron was out of the bed and went to the living room, where Fred and George were lazing in front of the TV.

"How are you?" George asked and both twins mustered him with worried expressions.

"Good, the nap helped against the headache." Ron dropped down on an armchair. "Can I ask you two something?"

"Of course." Both twins replied with a genuine smile, no teasing and joking. God, they really had to be worried.

"I somehow get the impression that I'm no longer friends with Hermione. What happened?"

"Why would you think that?" George asked back, but Ron knew better than to fall for that. Rule number one of getting out of trouble with their mum was to always ask counter questions.

"I saw how you all reacted when I asked for her at the hospital and somehow nobody is talking about her. And let's not forget the fact that Hermione is the most caring person in the world. Her being absent when I'm... like this, is a definite signal that something is wrong. So, what happened?" Ron asked again and this time he saw how the twins exchanged a quick glance.

"Well, if you insist." George sighed and Fred frowned.


	4. The Decision

George took a deep breath and Fred felt how his twin was trying to find the right words. There was so much Ron didn't know. Not only about Hermione, but about his whole life and it was difficult to explain it. It was like trying to explain one episode of a TV series to someone who hadn't seen the first three seasons. Absolutely impossible without having to explain thousands of details.

Fred watched his little brother carefully. Ron seemed upset and stressed out by the whole situation and Fred instantly felt the need to help him. He hadn't seen his brother like that in years. It was nice to have the old, normal Ron back.

"Ron, do you remember my accident?" With wide eyes, Ron shook his head a _no_.

"At the beginning of May 2014, Percy and I were on the way to the Burrow by car. Percy was driving, but when we just left London some drunk driver hit our car at the side of the co-driver's seat. Percy got away with a few scratches, but I was at the hospital till after your graduation."

"I think- I remember a bit. I was at the Great Hall when Dumbledore called Ginny and me to his office and told us about it. I visited you a week later?"

"Yeah," Fred nodded and chose his next words carefully. "Remember what we talked about?"

"No, not quite. Just that I saw you at the hospital. You looked..." Ron blanched and Fred felt that George stiffed beside him. The accident had been a close call with Fred at the emergency room for hours. He remembered vividly how his twin had cried when he had finally opened his eyes.

"You had just broken up with Lavender and told me that you were in love with Hermione," Fred stated and watched how Ron blushed to the tips of his ears.

"Do you think you're in love with her again?" George asked with a worried expression.

"Again? I think I never stopped or at least I can't remember. All I remember is that I wanted to confess so badly. Harry said I didn't do it before she left for her gap year."

"Well, I seriously doubt that you never stopped loving her." George frowned. "While Hermione was away you started to... enjoy your single life quite a bit. Took advantage of having your own place away from school and mum." George winked and Ron blushed an even darker red.

"I find that hard to believe," Ron muttered and it reminded Fred how shy Ron had been around women.

"Believe it or not, little brother, but you're actually a bit of a womaniser." Fred grinned. It had been George's doing to encourage Ron to flirt in pubs. Ron had of course been shy and clumsy, but one or two times he had been successful and that had done wonders for his self-confidence. And since his break-up from Romilda, he was a full-blown playboy.

"Yes now, but back then you had to go and get yourself that airhead," George grumbled and opened the photo album.

"Here, you managed to get into a relationship with Romilda Vane." Speechless Ron stared at one picture, that showed him and Romilda at Hogsmeade in a tight embrace.

"How the hell did that happen? Isn't she the bird who stalked Harry in 6th year?"

"Don't ask us." Fred chuckled at the horror-stricken face of Ron.

"Yeah, never understood what you saw in her." George grimaced and shot Fred an amused grin. Ron's relationship with Romilda - called _the vain_ \- was the main reason why Ron had included the _no teasing in front of customers_ -rule to his contract. The twins had had quite a bit of fun with teasing and taking the mickey out of their brother. Of course, Romilda had been too daft to realise how much Ron's family and friends detested her.

"Harry visited Ginny at ever Hogsmeade weekend and you tagged along a few times. Apparently, you two met there and started dating a few months before she finished school."

"So, I wasn't in love with Hermione anymore? Just like that? I shagged a few girls and got a new girlfriend and that was enough?" Ron still stared at the picture like he hoped it would change any moment.

"Clearly seemed like it. When Hermione came back from Romania you still stayed with Romilda. In fact, you stayed together for a little more than two years." George thumbed to a new page where the pictures of Hermione's _Welcome Back_ -Party were. One showed a happy Hermione between Harry and Ron, another Ginny and Hermione in a laughing embrace.

"It was a nightmare," Fred added when he remembered how awful Romilda had treated Hermione at the party. It had been the beginning of the end. The memories still fuelled him with hot anger and he had a hard time not yelling at Ron for it.

"So, what has all of this to do with Hermione and me apparently no longer being friends?" Ron asked, still fixing his gaze on the album. But this time it was a picture of Hermione he was looking at and his gaze was yearningly and pained. Fred felt a small sting in his heart at seeing his brother like that. He still remembered how Ron had told him about his love for Hermione. How wistful and despaired his voice had been.

"Well, it has nothing to do with it directly, but it should help you to understand the situation. You were in love with Romilda, no matter how much we all hated her, and then Hermione moved to Paris." Fred tried to calm Ron down.

"She got a place at an elite university and a scholarship. Everyone would have taken this chance. Your friendship just drifted apart after that." George shrugged.

"And not just you and Hermione. We all haven't seen much of her in the last years. Her parents moved to Australia after her graduation and from what Harry told us, she visits them quite often. She doesn't have the time to come to London anymore." Fred told the end of the little tale they had invented for Ron. It wasn't a lie, but they had censored quite a bit of the nasty parts. For example, that one huge, loud and heart-breaking fight. Or how Romilda had cheated on Ron. He didn't need to experience that pain all over again.

"That's.." Ron paused and took the album. "I think I will look at that alone for a while." He left for his room. Meanwhile, George stared at Fred with wide eyes.

"What?"

"Are you crazy? What if he had remembered your true conversation at the hospital? Then our perfect little story would have imploded."

"Nah, even then it would have made sense."

"Fred..."

"What? He will remember sooner or later and I don't want him angry with me when he does. I wanted to check first before dishing him our tale."

"Whatever." George snatched the remote and switched channels, effectively ignoring Fred. Fred himself caught his mind wandering off to Ron. Maybe this was the second chance for his little brother with Hermione, the girl Fred was still in love with even after all these years. Maybe if she could forgive Ron then Fred would also be able to.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron browsed through the photo album, trying to find anything - even the tiniest little bit - that would help his memories. There were a lot of pictures of him with Romilda. The two of them in Hogsmeade and at her graduation, at the Burrow for Christmas and New Year, at birthdays and other celebrations. He couldn't understand how and why, but he looked happy. But right now, he didn't feel happy. Quite the contrary. He felt bitter and angry looking at these photos,

Frustrated he closed the album. He needed something different to trigger his memories. With unsure steps, he began to discover his room. Till now he hadn't taken much interest in it, but he realised that his room could be a similar treasure like his mobile. With shaking hands, he opened his wardrobe and dresser and inspected the clothes. Most of it was foreign and new to him, but he also discovered a few of the typical jumpers his mother loved to knit.

 _You're a bit of a womaniser_ , Fred had said and his clothes clearly reflected that. Ron guessed that he cleaned up quite nicely in those fitting shirts and jeans. He found it still hard to believe that he was a playboy, but still more likely than the fact that he had been dating Romilda Vane.

With a shudder, he turned to his desk. It was cluttered with books, papers and notes, but there seemed to be some kind of system. Carefully he looked at the papers and finally realised with delight that he was studying _Criminology and Psychology_. He had wanted this since Mad-Eye Moody, the crazy ex-inspector, had taught at Hogwarts. So, Ron had worked and learned for this goal, but the fear of messing up his finals had always been there.

Ron paused for a moment. Considering his situation, he came to the conclusion that he liked his life, his _future_. He had a good job at the twins' shop, was studying what he had wanted, living together with his best friend and apparently he was quite popular and a ladies' man. It was a nice life to wake up to after a memory loss. The only catch was Hermione.

Frustrated Ron flopped down in his bed. He hated this whole mess. His emotions were all over the place, swamping him. He felt like drowning. Years ago, Hermione had said that he had the emotional range of a teaspoon. He certainly could say now that this wasn't the case. It felt more like a whole bowl and he didn't like it. His feelings were switching between sad and distressed, angry and frustrated, curious and nervous every few minutes and it exhausted him. He wanted to know what happened and who he was so that he would know what he had to feel.

He stared at the ceiling and tried to think about nothing. But it didn't work. His mind was always wandering off to Romilda Vane. How the bloody hell? He had laughed about her stupid crush on Harry all through 6th year. Why would he get together with her? Well, she was pretty but still annoying.

Slowly his eyes became heavy and he drifted into sleep.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

_It was the beginning of February 2015 and Ron_ _was at the Three Broomsticks waiting for Harry to come back from his date with Ginny. He didn't know why he had accompanied his best friend. The two lovebirds wanted to be alone and after greeting a few former underclassmen, he was alone and bored. Well, at least he could order some real alcohol._

_"Buy me a drink?" A sweet voice asked from beside him and surprised Ron turned. Romilda Vane was standing there, her dark hair flowing around her alluringly and her eyes twinkling._

_"Sure," Ron grinned and gave the barkeeper a sign. Despite her being rather annoying during school Ron found it nice to be distracted and entertained. They flirted lightly and when Harry finally arrived they were snogging in a dark corner._

_The next time Ron visited Hogsmeade he met Romilda on purpose. They had exchanged phone numbers and texted from time to time. He liked how straight forward she was and unapologetically flirted with him. She didn't try to be a secret. Instead, she was confident and showed what she wanted._

_They visited shops and cafés and Ron found it quite nice to spend time with her. It was nice to talk with a girl and not just take her home and shag her silly. He really wanted a relationship. The problem was that he never found someone he wanted to see again. No one was like Hermione, but he had to forget her._

_So, he thought it wasn't that bad to make an effort and get to know Romilda. She was pretty and clearly interested in him._

_After a few dates, they decided to be a couple. Ron knew Ginny wasn't thrilled with that but he didn't care. Romilda was his girlfriend, he had to like her and not his little sister. Plus, Romilda didn't seem to care about Ginny's snippy remarks._

_OOO_

_"Ronnie," Romilda whined beside him. "Do we really have to go to the party?" She pouted and Ron found it quite amusing. Tonight, was the welcome back party for Hermione and he was itching to see her again. He wasn't able to pick her up at the airport together with Harry and Ginny in the morning because he had lectures the whole day._

_"Yeah, we have to, but I promise you will have fun. And you will like Hermione, she's really nice." He kissed her and she grabbed his shirt, pulling him to the bed._

_"Or we could stay in all night and have fun here," Romilda whispered seductively in his ear. With a grin Ron lowered her onto the bed, opening her blouse on the way._ _She was wearing a hot, black bra that showed off her boobs deliciously._

_"Maybe we will be a bit tardy." He started to open her jeans. A good shag was always a great idea and exactly what Ron needed right now. He wasn't sure if Hermione was still miffed about his behaviour at the farewell party and he wanted to take his mind off._

_"More than a bit." With ease, Romilda switched their positions, undressed Ron and lowered herself on him. Happily, he leaned back, his hands on her hips to steady her, and watched how she rode him with closed eyes and bouncing hair._

_OOO_

_"Ron!" Hermione almost tackled him to the floor, her crazy hair flying in every direction like always._

_"Mione," he smiled into her hair, breathing in the matchless fragrance of Hermione. She was back._

_"Are we good?" He whispered and she nodded into his shoulder._

_"Are we good?" She asked back with a small, sad sigh in her voice._

_"Yeah, of course. I missed you so much." Reluctantly they let go of each other and laughed at their emotional greeting. With a wide smile Ron reintroduced Romilda to Hermione, they knew each other from Hogwarts of course and then left the girls to chat while he got some drinks._

_The party was at one of Sirius' townhouses and the twins provided the catering and drinks. It was a warm, perfect July evening and people were roaming the house and the garden. Everything was perfect, everyone seemed to have fun and Romilda and Hermione seemed to get along just fine. Ron felt like he and his friends hadn't been this relaxed since ages._

_He was having fun too till he spotted Hermione dancing with Fred, George and Angelina. For whatever reason, he didn't like that and had the urge to disturb them. But before he could do anything Romilda was by his side and dragged him off to the bar._

_"I don't know what you saw in her." She crinkled her nose and nodded in the direction of Hermione._

_"She's so... boring and plain." Ron eyed his girlfriend like she was crazy. She was clearly talking about Hermione and he wanted to object, to explain why Hermione was the most wonderful person in the world. But fortunately, he was still sober enough to know that it was a dumb idea and so he kept his mouth shut. Instead, he turned back and watched how his brothers made Hermione laugh by twirling her playfully between them._

_With a snort he turned back to Romilda, dragging her off to some corner where he could snog her._

_OOO_

_Romilda yelling and crying at him for something he couldn't quite grasp, but it was important. Him trying to soothe her._

_OOO_

_Romilda and him in his bedroom at the Burrow, shagging like rabbits while trying to be as silent as possible. The glares from his mother and Ginny when they both came down later._

_OOO_

_Ron yelling at Romilda, his anger hot in his veins. She was arguing back, stomping out of the room. Furiously he followed, wanting to win this fight._

_OOO_

_They were fighting again. Yelling, screaming, stomping. Romilda threw his favourite coffee cup on the floor. He itched to also break something, take his anger out on something. But he managed to control himself. Then she grabbed him, kissed him feverishly and one moment later they were shagging on the kitchen table. His sister caught them with a shriek and would later sell the table on eBay to buy a new one._

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

With a racing heart, Ron woke up. It was eleven o'clock in the evening. He was sure these dreams were small snippets of his memories, all about his relationship with Romilda.

He remembered not much about her, but he linked vague feelings with her. It started as happy flirting in the beginning, a nice distraction from Hermione being away. It built up to a light flutter in his stomach whenever he got a text from her or met her. Ron was sure he had been happy with Romilda for a time. And he had forgotten about Hermione and his feelings for her like the twins said.

But Ron remembered the _welcome back_ party and now he had enough distance to admit that he had been jealous. Jealous at Fred and George for dancing with Hermione. The 19-year-old Ron hadn't wanted to admit it, but he had been still in love with his best friend. He had made the same mistake twice. Like with Lavender he had had a relationship with a girl without really loving her.

A hollow feeling spread through his chest. He was an arse. A total git, incapable of learning from his past. But that would end now. With the decision made Ron grabbed his phone and hoped desperately that he still had her number.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Hermione was sitting beside Blaise Zabini, listening to Astoria Greengrass who scolded her boyfriend Draco Malfoy mercilessly about some faux pas he had made the last time they had visited her parents. It was quite amusing to see how the arrogant Slytherin tried to argue back against his girlfriend.

"I could watch this for hours," Blaise whispered beside her and Hermione nodded with a grin. They were at a nice pub near the university and had just ordered the last round. Suddenly Hermione's mobile jingled and with a quick apology to Blaise, she left the loud pub.

"Hello?" She picked up the call and listened with mixed feelings.

"How about we meet up tomorrow?" She suggested. "I'm in London right now."


	5. The Meeting

When Fred joined Harry, Ginny and Ron at breakfast at their flat this morning the mood was weird, painfully weird, and he regretted that he switched shifts at the shop with George.

"So," he tried with a cheerful voice, "what are you all doing today?"

"Lecture," Harry mumbled sleepy into his coffee.

"Soccer practice." Ginny stated, but her eyes darted to Ron nervously. The four of them had agreed that always one of them should be at home to take care of Ron.

"Well, then it's you and me today, little brother. What do you want to do? I could give a summary of all the amazing pranks we played on Percy in the last years. And I can show you the shop, tell you about work." Fred tried an encouraging smile, but Ron stared uncomfortably at his plate.

"Actually, I thought about going for a stroll through the neighbourhood. Discovering the city, you know? Maybe it will help my memory."

"Sounds good, I will keep you company."

"No, I- I want to do this alone." Ron blushed. "Don't think I don't know what you lot are doing, but I don't need a babysitter. I'm perfectly fine by myself and if something happens I have my mobile." Ron declared with a sharp glance to Ginny, who looked like she wanted to protest. Apparently they had had this discussion before.

"Fine, do what you want." Their little sister grabbed her bag, kissed Harry soundly goodbye and vanished with a huff. Fred sighed, partly because he was now free to enjoy his morning, partly because this whole Ron-mess became more exhausting from day to day. They all played little perfect world for Ron, it certainly wasn't easy and apparently Ginny was almost at her limit.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron was roaming the streets of London at the morning without a clear goal. He just wanted to feel normal for a change, not like a nursing case for his siblings. Wandering the city helped a lot with that. He could vanish in the anonymity of the masses of people. No one to ask him how he felt and if he remembered this or that event. It did wonders to his mood and at two o'clock he was ready to meet his date.

They had agreed on a café near WWW. Nervous Ron entered the café and looked out for her. He found her at a corner table with a pot of tea and a book.

"Hey," with an unsure smile he sat down and eyed her curiously. She was as pretty as ever with her dark, wavy hair, the big eyes and dark red lips. Ron could easily see why he had found Romilda Vane attractive.

"I honestly expected your call much sooner. It's been almost nine months." Romilda smiled sweetly and closed her book, but Ron only felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Whatever happened to end their relationship, something in him wanted to run from her. Even without his memories he had a deep distaste for his ex-girlfriend.

"Hm, yeah... look." Ron didn't know where to start. Ginny and Harry had told him that all of his friends were informed about his condition. Apparently _friends_ didn't include Romilda. And he wasn't keen on explaining it himself.

"I just thought it would be good to have a final talk. To clear the air. Last time we saw each other wasn't that... friendly." Ron bluffed. He had no idea but he was sure their break-up had been quite dramatic. The bits of memories he gained surely proved it.

"Not friendly," Romilda snorted. "That's a way to describe it." She gracefully took her teacup, sipped a bit and then looked at him with a confident smile.

"Look Ron, I get that you overreacted because you were jealous of Adrian. But I forgive you." Romilda grabbed his hand, but the name Adrian triggered some unexpected memories.

_Adrian. Adrian Pucey_. The git, who was working together with Romilda at that bookstore. Adrian, who was flirting with her at every possible moment. Adrian, who had his hands all over her when Ron had wanted to meet her up at a party.

_"Ron, please wait! I was drunk and stupid and he just kissed me. I didn't know what I was doing." She cried and big tears rolled down her cheeks._

That had been the first time. He had forgiven her. The next time he had found them at her flat.

_Ron entered the flat with his key and called out for Romilda. He had brought take-out food and a good wine and hoped for a nice evening together. They had fought a lot in the last couple of weeks and he wanted them to have a good time. Even amazing make-up sex couldn't compensate for the exhaustion of always screaming at each other._

_When he didn't get an answer, he entered her bedroom and promptly froze in the doorway. Romilda's moaning sounded surreal in his head and the hard grunts of Adrian made him sick. They were both naked and tangled with each other, rubbing and panting and to his utter horror Ron recognised immediately the low scream when Romilda reached her climax with Adrian right in front of him._

_"God, Baby, I love it when you come." Adrian groaned husky and that made Ron snap. With hot and wild fury in his veins that invaded his head, he pulled the bloody git of from his girlfriend - ex-girlfriend - and punched him on the nose as hard as he could. With satisfaction he saw blood splash and heard Adrian curse. Romilda, who now sat upright on the bed, instantly started to cry._

_"We're over." Ron declared with as much venom in his voice as possible and then moved out of the flat, leaving his key on the kitchen table._

_Of course, it hadn't been over after that right away. Weeks with Romilda trying to apologise and get him to forgive her followed. Weeks of more fighting and screaming. But one day it finally ended._

Ron clenched his fists as the memories came back to him. Memories of Ginny and George throwing Romilda out of the shop when she came during his shift. Memories of Romilda using her key to his flat in order to wait for him naked on his bed only to be surprised by Dean and Seamus who came to watch a soccer match with him. Memories of him cutting Romilda off of every possibility to contact him. That had been roughly nine months ago.

"And who says that I forgive you?" Ron asked with gritted teeth. Now that he remembered, could place his distaste, he wanted nothing more than to leave immediately. This bitch had hurt him so much in so many ways. But maybe he needed this last confrontation to finally let it go.

"Well, you called me, right? Why would you do that if not to get back together?" Romilda asked confused. "Ronnie, you know we are a couple that will always end up together. In the end you will always decide for me, like you did before." Ron cringed a bit at the pet name, but her last words softly brushed a hidden memory. He couldn't quite grasp it, but there was something. Something important.

"Believe what you want, Romilda. I'm only here to finish everything up with a last talk. But I see you haven't changed at all. You're still unable to understand what you did." Ron stood up slowly and felt unbelievably good at seeing Romilda's shocked face.

"Goodbye or better good riddance." And without a last look back he left the café. Back on the streets he felt a sense of liberty wash over him and he was absolutely certain that he hadn't felt this way for a long time. With a small grin he made his way back to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He entered cheerfully and saw that Fred was working behind the bar.

"I want to celebrate getting rid of my ex for good. What do you recommend?" Ron grinned at his older brother, who almost dropped a teacup.

"What?"

"I met with Romilda and told her that we are over for good. I don't know why but I had the urge to see her. First it was because I thought I needed to apologise for being a bad boyfriend, but then I remembered that she cheated on me." Ron shrugged.

"Good for you." Fred grinned devilish. "She was a pest. Hot or cold victory drink?" He asked with a wink and Ron decided for cold. Surprised he saw how Fred reached under the bar and handed him a corked bottle.

"Cheers." With a satisfying _plop_ the bottle was opened. He took a sip and tasted a sweet, wonderful flavour of butterscotch, but better.

"That's amazing!" He exclaimed and took another, larger sip. Little bits of memories warmed his heart. Memories of drinking and laughing together with friends. Memories of him, working behind the bar and serving coffee to guests.

"That's butterbeer, our own creation. Angelina and Katie were always complaining that they didn't like the taste of normal beer. So, George wanted to invent something for Ange as an alternative."

"I remember! Angelina almost cried when he presented it." Ron smiled at the little memory. It had been around Christmas after Harry and he moved into the flat above the shop. Since George and Angelina got together at the Yule Ball in their 6th year, George introduced the warm butterbeer at their anniversary as a gift. It had been absolutely sappy and Fred, Harry and Ron had had a field day with joking about it.

"When I showed it to Romilda the first time she didn't even want to taste it because it has too much calories." Ron took another sip, one to spite Romilda.

"Ron, don't fret about it too much. You had a bad relationship, that can happen. Not everyone gets so disgustingly happy on the first try like Harry and Ginny or George and Angelina. Remember Alicia and me? We were explosive like an atomic bomb. We confused fighting with passion and created a new drama every week to keep things interesting." Fred shrugged and started to clean some glasses. It was a lazy day at the WWW café but Ron knew it would get busier in an hour or two.

"You said, you would show me the shop and my work?" He asked carefully. Somehow he had a sudden interest in his work life.

"Sure." Fred smiled. "You mostly work behind the bar, by day as a barista and by night as a bartender. You're really good at mixing cocktails." His brother winked and Ron had a vision of himself behind the bar, handling a cocktail shaker and flirting with guests. He wasn't sure if it was a real memory, but he quite liked it.

"Ah, and here is your partner in crime." Fred grinned wildly and pulled a girl with auburn hair in a long plait, wearing a black skirt and a magenta blouse, by the arm to the bar. She was apparently working at the shop as a waitress as she handed Fred a note with orders.

"Susan Bones? What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Ron gaped at his former classmate. She had lived in the Hufflepuff dorm, but they had enough classes during their seven school years to know each other well enough. Ron remembered her as a shy girl, not someone who would work at the crazy shop of his crazy brothers.

"Blimey, he's as tactful as ever." Susan rolled her eyes. "So, you don't remember us working together, do you?" She asked cautiously, while Fred started to prepare the order.

"Nope," Ron tried an awkward smile. All he remembered of Susan was that she was nice and curious and popular with her dorm mates.

"Well, then prepare to be scolded when you're back to work. Can't have you slacking just because of a little memory loss."

"That's our favourite waitress." Fred grinned.

"Don't let Verity hear that." Susan grabbed the two coffees and vanished.

"You two work together on most shifts since a year or so. Susan also studies Criminology and Psychology and has a similar class schedule as you. You were actually the one who recommended her for the shop."

"God, failed relationship with Romilda Vane and being friends with Susan Bones. Something else I should know? Am I having movie nights with Draco Malfoy or Zacharias Smith?"

"Nah, just a weekly dinner date with Percy, the perfect prefect." Fred laughed and Ron wasn't entirely sure if it was a joke or not.

He spent the rest of the afternoon with Fred at the bar. Occasionally George would come out of the workroom to join them for a little break or Susan would stop for a little chat while waiting for orders. Ron found that being in the shop relaxed him more than anything.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Hermione was sitting at a little café close to the campus and waited for her date. The call yesterday had certainly surprised her. Twitchy she played with the sugar sprinkler in her hands.

"Hey," with an uneasy grin Ginny sat down opposite of her with a coffee and two chocolate muffins. She offered Hermione one, but she declined. She had had enough chocolate for the day already.

"Thank you for meeting me here."

"Ginny, what's going on? You said something happened to Ron and that I shouldn't tell anyone that I'm meeting you. What about this secretiveness? I feel like I'm in a spy movie."

"Ron had an accident, hit his head really hard, and lost the last four years of his memory. I think he will contact you sooner or later." Ginny started to rip her muffin into small pieces, eating one of it every now and then.

"He lost his memory?" Hermione nearly choked on her coffee.

"Yeah, the last thing he remembers is sometime around March 2014." Ginny sipped on her own coffee and eyed Hermione curiously. Hermione meanwhile tried to remember what had happened at the end of her last school year. A few things came to her mind instantly. Ron's and Lavender's break-up - that had been nasty -, the parties after the finals and graduation, Fred's and Percy's accident and of course her farewell party. A lot had happened and after her gap year even more.

"That's- that's... I don't even know what to do with this information." Hermione started to play with the sprinkler again.

"You have to do nothing. I just wanted to warn you. Ron is asking a lot of questions about you and at the hospital you were one of the first people he wanted to see." Ginny sighed. "I know you two are still not on speaking terms and I respect that, but please be gentle with him when he contacts you. He's currently not the guy who said all those horrible things to you."

"Okay, but I can't guarantee that I will talk to him if he tries to contact me. I have to think about it."

"Thank you." Ginny smiled genuinely for the first time. "Now tell me, what are you doing in London? Why didn't you say you were coming?"

"I only arrived two days ago and wanted to surprise you and Harry." Hermione grinned at her friend. She had thought long about this decision and was overjoyed by it.

"I'm actually moving back to London. I finished my bachelor in Paris and decided to join a master programme here. One of my French professors wrote me a recommendation and I had my interview yesterday."

"You're coming back?" Ginny squealed in a high voice and flung herself out of her chair to hug Hermione.

"God, that's the best news ever." Ginny grinned and Hermione's heart jumped in joy. She had loved her time in Paris. She had learned much, met wonderful people and the city was amazing. But she had always missed her hometown and her friends and hadn't had enough time to visit. She was sick of splitting her time between London, Paris and Canberra, where her parents lived. She had often wished for a faster way to travel instead of spending hours in small airplane seats.

"Right now, I'm staying with Blaise, but I'm searching for a flat or a shared flat."

"You know, the twins have a free room." Ginny suggested timidly.

"No, that's-"

"I know, too close to Ron. But maybe Sirius can help you."

"Yeah, maybe. I wanted to visit him anyway. And Remus, Tonks and Teddy of course." Hermione nodded, still a bit nervous about the suggestion of living at the twins' flat. Never ever, that would be the weirdest combination she could think of. Her mind wandered off to the flat above Fred and George, to Ron and his current condition.

"Ginny, what did you tell Ron about me? You know..."

"Not much. Fred, George, Harry and I agreed that it's best to not tell him everything. He thinks you two just drifted apart and that you are rarely in London. The doctor said we shouldn't overburden him and it's visible how much it exhausts him. He has headaches and sleeps a lot."

"Good to know." Hermione sighed relieved. "I thought about confronting him now that I'm moving back, but right now that doesn't make sense. Why fight with someone who can't remember what happened."

"Exactly, save your breath for later." Ginny nodded vehemently and started to rip into the second muffin.

"It's unnerving to see Ron like that. I was always so angry with him the last years because of his behaviour and now he's back to this normal, kind Ron, not the annoying git he was when he dated Romilda or the playboy of the last few months. I don't know how to handle it."

"I know what you mean." Hermione sighed wistfully. The idea of having her best friend back was thrilling, but at the same time it was impossible to forget what had happened in the last years. Maybe she also needed a hit on the head like Ron. But for now she would have to think about the whole situation.


	6. The Call

Hermione stood in front of the corner building where Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and the flats of the twins, Harry, Ron and Ginny were located. Curiously she peaked through the shop window and saw a redheaded twin behind the bar, chatting with a waitress. She was pretty sure that it was George and sighed a bit in relief.

She had countless good memories of the shop. She remembered fondly the first time she had visited together with the whole Weasley family, Harry and Sirius. Molly Weasley had been furious with her twin sons for opening a shop without telling their parents. The two had moved to London after graduation with the promise to enter university like their three older brothers, but in reality, the twins had rented the shop from Harry - part of his inheritance - to a ridiculous price and borrowed money from Sirius as starting funds. The truth was only told after the shop was open and running successfully.

Hermione smiled a bit at the memory of the first visit. Everything had been loud and colourful and countless people had invaded the newly opened store.

_Hermione roamed the store with Ginny by her side. They stopped at the shelf with ecological beauty products, which the twins made themselves with fair trade ingredients. Hermione had to admit that she was surprised. During school, the twins had always been quite brilliant with their inventions, but Hermione had constantly fought with them over their illegal alcohol distilling on the school grounds. Seeing them making products with so much care for ingredients, environmentalism and fair labour was a welcome surprise._

_"You know, that really is extraordinary." She said to Ginny, who also marvelled at the colourful products._

_"For that, Hermione," said a voice behind them, "you can have one for free."_   _Fred joined them and handed Hermione one of the bubble bath products she had complimented._

_"Thank you," she whispered and felt herself blush when Fred winked at her._

That day seemed like an eternity ago, like another life. Six years so much had happened since then. She had spent hours with Ginny at the shop during the summer before her sixth year, drinking tea - because then they were still too young to enjoy coffee - and testing cakes and sweets for the twins. With Harry and Ron, she had visited parties at the twins flat during their vacations. She really had wonderful memories linked to this building.

But as Hermione stood in front of it today she was frozen in remembrance of two memories. Two terrible, painful days. Since Ginny had told her yesterday about Ron's condition she was thinking about talking to him. Making the first step. But she was afraid.

What if Ron remembered everything as soon as he saw her?

Would he still want to talk to her?

Would they be back to fighting and then ignoring each other?

Hermione was afraid of repeating one of the most painful days of her life and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to do it. So, she took a step back, threw one last look through the window and then made her way back to the tube.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

The day after his meeting with Romilda Ron woke up in a good mood. A part of his past had been revealed and he felt good about how he had dealt with it. His plan for today was spending time at the shop and learning to work there again. Being at the shop yesterday had felt right and more like home than the flat he was living in. Likely because the shop was part of the life he could remember and the life he could not. It was kind of like a bridge that connected both parts.

Whistling Ron made his way down the steps to the shop and joined George behind the bar. Today they would work together so that George could show and teach Ron everything. Susan was also working and greeted Ron with an encouraging smile.

"Morning," George grinned and threw Ron an apron.

"Normally we wear magenta shirts and black trousers, but since this is kind of your first day I will let it slide." George grinned and winked at Susan, who giggled a bit. Ron felt himself blush without a reason, after all, it wasn't his fault for showing up in the wrong clothes.

The morning was lazy with a lot of time for explorations. After three hours Ron had learned to operate the coffee machine, to cook perfect tea, slice the cakes in even pieces and where dishes, glasses and cutlery were. His head swirled with all this information, but he was delighted to see that he reached for the right places out of habit. It seemed like his subconscious remembered more than he and helped him out a bit.

"Okay, I have to go and help Fred in the backroom for a while. You two should be good out here for the next hours. The bustle shouldn't start before five. Call me if you need anything." George clapped Ron on the back and slandered off to the back of the café. Ron was left alone behind the long bar, alone with the guests and Susan, who currently took orders.

"Where's George?" She asked nervously as she handed Ron the order. He threw a glance at it and started to prepare a latte and a cappuccino.

"In the back with Fred," he answered absent-minded and handed Susan a tray with the order back. They proceeded like that for a while and Ron slowly gained a sense of normality. He was absolutely certain that this was as close to his former life as possible. Working and chatting. A few of the regulars even flirted with him and Susan rolled her eyes every time a woman ordered directly at the bar.

"Maybe we should switch," Ron joked when Susan stopped. "I bet I could get more tips than you."

"Probably, but you also get less work done." Susan stuck out her tongue at him and Ron discovered that she had a tongue piercing. "We already tried that when I first started working here. Fred and George had to ban you behind the bar because you flirted too much." She teased and vanished to clean up a table.

Ron had to admit that Susan had changed a lot since their school days. Or maybe not, they hadn't been close then. Maybe she had always been so quick-witted and wicked. He could understand why he recommended her for the shop.

"So, how did we meet? I mean-" Ron blushed at Susan's confused face. "I mean, how did we become friends? Fred said we go to university together."

"Well, yes. We occasionally met since graduation, but I think we became friends at a faculty party. Let me think..." Susan paused. "I think it was December 2016, a Christmas party. You were pissed drunk and in a bad mood. I knew you lived here and brought you home before you had the chance to make an arse of yourself in front of all our professors and faculty staff." She grinned and Ron waited - hoped - for a flicker of a memory. The date stirred his mind.

"Urg," he groaned when he realised it. "That was after Romilda cheated on me for the first time." He dropped his head on the solid wood of the bar.

"Yeah, and you told everyone at the party." He heard Susan's laugh and turned his head slightly to look at her.

"Did I thank you for that properly?"

"You helped me get this job, so yes." She winked and strolled off to cash up a table. Lost in thought Ron cleaned the counter. How could he had been so stupid? Romilda had cheated on him and he had forgiven her, or at least he tried to. He remembered vaguely that their relationship had gone downhill after this. The fighting had gone worse and worse and it probably had been only a matter of time till their break-up. Even without her cheating, they would have broken up, Ron was sure.

He startled out of his mind when a blonde girl with a nice smile ordered an espresso and handed him her mobile number in return. He tried to smile back but truth to be told he was overwhelmed. Something like that had never happened to him before. Baffled he looked at the small piece of paper.

"Are you keeping it?" Susan asked as she put a few empty cups and dishes in front of him.

"Well," Ron paused. "I have no idea. What would I normally do?"

"Oh," Susan started to nervously bite her lip. "That probably depends. When you were in a relationship with Romilda you always politely declined. After your break-up, you more or less collected them and had a new... adventure every other week. But a few weeks ago, you started to decline them again, so..." She tried a smile but seemed nervous.

"You know something," Ron stated and instantly Susan blanched.

"I- I- it's-" She stammered and fixed her gaze on her hands.

"Ron, I don't really know it. It's just a guess. You didn't pick up random girls anymore and you asked me for advice a few times. But no matter how much I asked or annoyed you, you didn't want to tell if there was someone new. I think you didn't even tell Harry." Susan was back to biting her lips and watched him with worried eyes.

"So, there is a girl out there, that I apparently really like and I have no idea who it is?" He groaned and felt how his head started to ache again. That was a bloody nightmare. How many complicated relationships would he discover?

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you that. Fred and George said it wasn't good to overwhelm you with too much information." Susan whispered and with a guilty frown, she started to serve guests again. The rest of Ron's shift was spent in an uncomfortable silence between them. Meanwhile, his head pounded like crazy. It felt like it would split open any moment. Relieved Ron left the store when Fred and George took over the bar for the evening business and went directly to bed.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

_Ron kissed the girl in front of him deeply and then proceeded to scoop up her skirt. Delighted he saw that she wasn't wearing any underwear and with a grin he opened his trousers while she hopped on a large box. They were in the storage room of the shop, a place where Ron normally would never go for a quick shag. But today his brothers were out to meet a few suppliers and his break ended in fifteen minutes. Really not enough time to go up to the flat._

_"Ready?" He asked while he bit down on her earlobe and the girl moaned a_ yes _in response. They were having a friendship with benefits since a few weeks, even if Ron wouldn't exactly call them friends. They had met at a party at Seamus' and Dean's flat that ended as a one-night-stand. Just that it had been so bloody fantastic that both of them decided to repeat the night as a casual affair._

_In a swift movement, he slipped over the condom and then entered her. They both moaned in pleasure and she hooked her legs high over his waist and started to set the pace. They only needed a few minutes before she came and he followed her quickly._

_"You perform quite well under pressure." She teased as she pulled down her skirt and flattened her black hair._

_"I aim to please," Ron grinned and opened the door with a bow. She walked into the café with the confidence of someone who didn't give a shit about other's opinions, called a teasing "_ Nice to see you, Bones _" to Susan and left._

_"Really?" Susan welcomed him with a disapproving frown. "In the storage room? I have to work here too, you know?" She gagged a bit to make her point. "And with Pansy Parkinson of all people."_

_"Well, I couldn't send away a damsel in distress." Ron grinned at her, but Susan only rolled her eyes._

_"Oh, come on, Su. You know I'm faithful as hell when I'm in a relationship. I just want to have some fun till I meet the right one."_

_"Maybe you need to stop that fun in order to meet her. You better clean up that room." She hissed and walked off to greet some guests._

_"What do you mean, I need to stop my fun?" Ron inquired curiously. Susan was ignoring him since Pansy left hours ago and refused to enter the storage room. But her remark stuck in his head. Susan eyed him a few minutes before she carefully formulated her answer._

_"Well, you have to ask yourself one question. Which girl interested in a relationship would take you seriously right now? Imagine she meets you for the first time when you leave a broom closet with one of your conquests."_

_OOO_

_"How do I make sure a girl takes me seriously?" Ron asked and Susan jumped a bit at the sudden question. She had been in deep concentration, counting the day's takings._

_"What?"_

_"Two weeks ago, you said that girls wouldn't take me seriously. So, how do I change that?"_

_"You met someone?"_

_"Didn't say that." He grinned at Susan's frown. He knew she was a curious person and wanted to know everything as soon and as detailed as possible._

_"Then why would you ask that?" She countered._

_"Precaution," he grinned brighter and chuckled a bit at her annoyed huff. It was so easy to wind her up._

_"God," she groaned. "I don't know. You could start by stopping to shag random girls."_

_"That's all you have?"_

_"Well, as long as there isn't a specific girl, I don't know what to tell you. Unless there is one." Susan narrowed her eyes at him._

_"Nice try."_

_OOO_

_"What_ _would be the best way to ask a girl for a date?"_

_"Shouldn't you know that already? You have dates all the time." Susan asked confused._

_"Nah, in my past relationships Lavender and Romilda made the first move. And picking up a girl is an entirely different story than trying to get a serious date."_

_"So, you did meet someone," Susan stated with a grin similar to the Cheshire cat._

_"I didn't say that."_

_"Then I can't help you."_

_"What? No, please, Su."_   _Ron almost begged._

_"Hmpf, okay. It depends if you already know the girl or not." She said and waited for an answer, but Ron only shrugged._

_"Prepare me for both cases."_

_"So, you do know her and you just don't want to admit it." She accused with a laugh._

_OOO_

_"Just tell me," Susan whined._

_"There is nothing to tell," Ron answered with a grin and handed her the order. They were playing this silly game for hours. Every time Susan came to the counter to give or take an order she would ask about his_ mysterious girl _and Ron would deny everything. It was driving her crazy but Ron had too much fun to end the game._

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron woke up the next morning and instantly started to write down his dreams. He had learned the hard way in the last days that it wasn't easy to remember all of the little memory flashes and dreams, even when most of them seemed to be his actual memories.

_Day four_ , he started and then listed everything he could remember from the night. His mind seemed to heal and remember the best when he was asleep but not everything stayed in his consciousness long enough.

The dreams of this night certainly had been interesting. They proved Susan's statements that he had acted differently in the weeks before his accident. Ron was now sure that she had been right with her guess that he met someone. He had the vague feeling of fondness for someone, even a little crush. Maybe for the first time after Hermione, he had developed a serious interest in a girl. With Lavender and Romilda he had been in love too, but they had made the first move, had conquered his heart. With this mysterious girl, it was the other way around since his failed confession to Hermione.

Unwillingly his mind wandered off to Hermione and he grabbed the photo album. The last pictures of Hermione in it were from the day of her  _welcome_   _back_ party. She looked as beautiful as he remembered her from school but still a bit more grown-up. Her skin was lightly tanned, probably because of the outdoor work on the reserve, and her hair was longer than ever. She was also a bit bolder with her clothes. At school, she had always worn the uniform absolutely correct, while other girls shortened the skirts or changed other things to compliment their figure. Only on special occasions like the yearly Yule Ball, she had shown everyone how beautiful she really was. But on this picture, Hermione was wearing a short, midnight blue dress and daring heels. Ron couldn't take his eyes off her.

Groaning he flopped back onto the bed and tried to sort his mind. Why was his life so complicated? Even without this memory mess, it seemed like a thousand problems were chasing after him and every single one had the name of a girl.

Lavender, his first girlfriend, who he had probably treated horribly the whole time but had been too daft to realise it.

Hermione, his best friend, who had also been his first big love, but he had been too dumb and cowardice to make a move.

Romilda, his toxic relationship, who he had started to date despite being in love with Hermione in an attempt to forget her. Even without her cheating on him, it had been a cursed relationship from the start.

Pansy and all the other women, his conquests and little distractions, who probably had either forgotten about him, hated him or didn't care at all.

And now this mysterious girl, who he couldn't even remember, but clearly had tried to change his behaviour for. Would he still feel the same when he finally got his memories back? And what if he would never be able to remember her?

Altogether his history with women wasn't a success story and Ron realised with a grave feeling in the pit of his stomach that it was probably his own fault. His fault because he had been hung up on his best friend even when they had drifted apart and were strangers now.

With sudden determination, Ron grabbed his mobile and searched for Hermione's number. The confrontation with Romilda had helped him. Maybe a call and a conversation with Hermione would also help him, help them become friends again. Help him to forget his feelings for her, get some closure.

_"Hello?"_  Hermione's voice asked with silent laughter in her voice. He could hear someone talk in the background, a deep male voice.

"Her- Hermione, it's- it's me," Ron stuttered. "Sorry, here is Ron. Ron Weasley. I wanted to ask if you have a bit of time to phone. Not necessarily right now, but in the next days?" He could almost hear how awkward this situation was while Hermione was quiet on the other site. And then something happened that he never expected. She hung up. Just like that. Without a word. She hung up and left Ron with a strange, cold feeling in his chest.


	7. The Truth?

Hermione stared at her mobile in shock. Ron had called her. He really had done it. She was so glad that Ginny had warned her but hearing his voice had shocked her too much, she had reacted in the worst way. She continued to stare at the display and couldn't quite comprehend what she had done. She had panicked. She had hung up on him. Without a word. God, she was the worst coward.

"Good god," she groaned and sat down again beside Blaise at the kitchen table. They had been eating breakfast - crepe with cinnamon and sugar made by Hermione as a thank you for letting her stay at his flat - when Ron had called. Now Blaise was studying Hermione carefully.

"Who was that?"

"Ron."

"Ron Weasley? And why is that a bad thing?" Blaise arched an eyebrow at her. Blaise and Hermione had become friends when he had taken a semester abroad at Hermione's French university. They had met by pure coincidence at a little café one morning and started to talk and meet from there on. By the time the semester ended and Blaise went back to London they had become close friends and started to visit each other regularly. But the topic of Ron's and her fight never came up. Hermione never lied, she just never corrected Blaise when he assumed that Hermione would meet Harry  _and_  Ron when she told him about Harry only.

"Ron and I aren't exactly friends anymore," Hermione answered cautiously and started to cut her crepe in tiny pieces.

"What the hell happened to force apart the golden trio?" Blaise asked shocked.

"Golden Trio?" She laughed and carefully forked up her crepe.

"That's how everyone called you, Harry and Ron at school. You were always together through thick and thin."

"Yeah, but that was at school. We fell apart after my gap year. Harry and I are still best friends, so are Harry and Ron. But Ron and I... well, that is awfully complicated."

"I love complicated." Blaise grinned and put down his cup.

"Give me all the nasty little details." And so, Hermione told Blaise the whole story. Well, not everything but enough to get the picture. He  _ahh_ 'd and  _ohh_ 'd in between but mainly Blaise just listened. He was good at that.

"And now he wants to talk to me, but he doesn't remember our fight anymore."

"And you don't know if you want that or not." Blaise sipped on his tea.

"Exactly. If he remembers we might fight again and I can do without that. And if he doesn't remember then- well, what's the use of seeing him? I would have to pretend that nothing happened."

"So.. what will you do?"

"I have no idea." Hermione threw her cutlery on her plate and groaned in frustration.

"Hermione, there is more to this story, isn't it? There is something you're not telling me." Blaise narrowed his eyes at her and Hermione internally cursed herself. He knew her to good.

"Maybe, but that's a tale for another day." She smiled and drank the last sip of her tea. "Now let's go. We have three flats to tour today."

"We wouldn't have to if you would finally take my offer to live here." Blaise groaned.

"Nah, I don't think there is enough room here for me and all your clothes and bathroom products." Hermione winked at him and snatched her bag.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron spent the rest of the day isolated in his room. The first few hours he was laying on his bed, trying to think of any logical reason why Hermione would be so cruel to him. After he had missed breakfast and lunch he started to pace his room, walking half-circles around his bed.

Around three o'clock Ginny had stormed his room and demanded to know what the heck was wrong with him. Ron had only told her to shove off, while he hastily hid all the pictures and momentous from Hermione that were spread over his bed and desk. With a huff, his sister had vanished - after crashing all doors in the flat with angry  _bangs_  - and was nowhere to be seen. Even Harry didn't know where she was when he tried to coax Ron out of his room an hour later.

But Ron was too preoccupied with trying to force his mind into remembering Hermione. Why was it that he could get flashbacks about everyone else but not her? And why did she hang up?

_Why?_

Why?

WHY?

Ron's mind was running in circles. Something had happened. They hadn't simply drifted apart. Something had forced them apart. Just what?

Exhausted he sat down on the floor and studied a picture from graduation. Harry was standing in the middle while Hermione and Ron were on his left and right side. All three of them smiled, but something was off. Ron just couldn't put his finger on it. Frustrated he inspected a picture from the  _welcome back_  party, but it was also as normal as possible.

Suddenly someone knocked on his door and then tried to enter. But after Ginny, Ron had locked it.

"For god's sake, Ron." He heard George groan on the other side. "Open the door and tell us what's wrong. We even ordered your favourite Thai food. You have to be hungry."

"I hate Thai food," Ron yelled back, but his growling stomach told him that it didn't matter what food they had out there.

"No, you don't. You love it actually." Fred yelled with a chuckle in his voice and a delicious smell waved into the room. Reluctantly Ron opened the door and saw the twins and Harry sitting in the living room with a dozen containers of food.

"Ah," George grinned. "The lost brother. Come and grab something, we have ordered a double of everything. Maybe it will help your memory."

"No, thank you. I don't want to sit with you liars and traitors." He growled and grabbed the next container, ready to storm back and lock himself into his room.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Harry sighed.

"Yeah, what got your knickers in a twist? You seemed fine the last days." Fred murmured while he tried to gulp down his food.

"What's wrong? What's wrong is that you lot obviously lied to me about Hermione." Ron full blown yelled at them, his temper had finally gotten to him. He had thought about it the whole day and the only logical explanation was that his siblings and best friend had lied to him. But the important question was:

_W_ _hy?_

Why?

WHY?

"Ron, what happened?" Harry inquired while he nervously fingered his glasses. Fred and George meanwhile put down their food and fidgeted on the sofa.

"I called Hermione this morning," he started to pace again, while he retold what happened. "She hung up without a word. You said we drifted apart." He accused the three men. "What did really happen?"

"Ron, I don't think-" Harry started.

"Just tell me. I don't care if the doctor said you shouldn't upset me." Ron hissed.

"Ron," George sighed, "the problem is we don't really know what happened. It won't help you."

"No, no excuses. I want to hear the truth." He yelled and the three flinched.

"Well, asking them won't help you with that. They really don't know." A voice behind Ron declared. "As far as I know you never told them what happened and neither did I."

Ron turned surprised to the familiar voice. There, in the doorframe to the corridor, leaned Hermione, her arms folded defensive in front of her chest and her lips in a tight line.

"I see you're still a hothead." She said and actually smiled a tiny little smile. Ron stared at her agape. She looked so much like the Hermione he remembered and at the same time like a completely different person.

Her hair was no longer falling long and heavy over her shoulders and back. It was short and ended an inch or so beneath her chin. It was curlier than ever thanks to the shorter length, but not bushy anymore. She wore a dark purple dress with a round neckline, sleeves to the elbows and a tight fit around the chest. The skirt was flowing and ended just above her knees, and her legs were clad into black knee-length boots. In one hand she held a black leather jacket and on top of her wild curls sat a pair of golden vintage sunglasses. She looked smoking hot and cool, but she was so completely different from  _his_  Hermione.

But then Ron looked into her face and there she was. Big brown eyes as dark as espresso and this cute little nose that crinkled when she was thinking about something. Lips that twitched unwillingly when she was amused or annoyed. She was Hermione, no matter what, and Ron instantly felt his heart stop for a moment. She was here and his feelings were too, no use to deny it.

"Hermione!" Harry was the first to react and jumped up to hug their best friend. After a moment George and then finally Fred got up and hugged her also, but visibly shorter.

"Nice to see you, Granger." George tugged at one of her curls.

"Yeah, what brings you to our humble dinner party." Fred grinned, while he threw an arm around her shoulders and Hermione laughed a bit.

"Well, I had a call this morning and reacted a bit rude." She said and looked directly at Ron. He felt his heart stutter and was still frozen in shock.

"Yeah, and after the show, Ron was making today I thought it was a good idea to have them talk." Ginny appeared behind them with two bottles of wine.

"But let's eat first." His sister decided and pulled Hermione to one of the sofas. Everyone sat down and Ron finally was able to move again when Harry offered him something to eat. For a while, the mood was light and relaxed. Containers with food were handed in all directions and wine was opened. There were small talk and laughter and for the moment Ron could almost pretend that nothing was wrong. Just a normal evening with friends.

"Why haven't you told me you're in London?" Harry accused Hermione playfully between two spoons of Thai curry.

"I wanted to surprise you," she grinned and Ron fell for her smile all over again.

"Well, you managed that." Fred grinned and handed her another glass of wine.

"Thank you," Hermione took a sip. "I'm actually moving back to London, that's why I'm here. I'm searching for a flat and will start a master programme next month." She smiled at Harry and everyone except Ron congratulated her on the decision. Ron just didn't know how to handle her. How to behave. So, he decided to sit there and just watch her, try to find a clue or wait for a memory flash. But nothing happened. All he remembered and all he felt was how deeply in love he was with her.

And so, he watched how she talked with Harry and joked with the twins. How Ginny leaned into Hermione when they giggled over their wine glasses. How George deliberately annoyed her till she frowned at him. And how Fred would tease her till she blushed and finally told him  _to shove off_  with a laugh. She fitted perfectly with his family.

"Ron!" Hermione's firm voice pulled him back to reality.

"Yes?" It took him a moment to realise that everyone was watching him.

"Perhaps we should go to your room and talk? I think it's best when it's just us." Hermione tilted her head, waiting for an answer, and Ron nodded silently. Hermione smiled at the whole group and then led the way. When Ron closed the door behind them he felt sick enough to puke.

"So," Hermione sat down on his bed, her legs folded ladylike. "Any memories since I came?"

"No, the last thing I remember is your  _welcome back_ party." Hermione's lips formed a surprised  _oh_  and she started to play with a curl nervously.

"That is... a good start, I think." She exhaled.

"God, Ron, sit down. You're making me nervous when you just stand there." With a blush, Ron flopped down on the floor and leaned his back against the bookshelf opposite of the bed.

"Oh," Hermione laughed when he finally looked up to her. "This is so weird. I always knew we would have this talk one day, but that's not how I imagined it."

"Weird is my new normal." Ron laughed and for a moment everything was fine. But then she was fingering her hair again and a scared expression flitted through her eyes.

"Mione, just tell me the ugly truth. I can take it, don't go easy on me." She nodded and bit her lip as if she needed a minute to start.

"Well, the  _welcome back_ party is probably a good start since most of our... problems started that day. You and Romilda were a fresh couple and she was... let's say she didn't like me much. Whenever you were away and I was alone with her, she would make little comments about my hair or my clothes. It wasn't nice but not that different from Lavender back in school." Ron buried his face in his hands as he remembered the reason for Romilda's dislike against Hermione.

_Romilda and he were at a little café in Hogsmeade and it was their first date as an official couple._

_"So, I know of course about Lavender since you two dated at school. Are there more exes?" Romilda asked with a shy smile that Ron found adorable at that time._

_"I won't lie, but don't be mad, please. I had two one-night-stands before we started dating. But that's it." He grabbed her hands._

_"That's quite okay. Physical relationships are no competition in my eyes. What I want to know is who you were in love with."_

_"Well, that would only be Lavender and..." Ron froze. He had only ever told Harry and Fred - so George probably knew as well._

_"Tell me." Romilda drew soothing circles on the back of his hand._

_"Hermione Granger."_

_"You're best friends?" The surprise was evident in her voice._

Ron groaned at the memory. Of course, he had been stupid enough to tell Romilda about Hermione and at the same time had thought that his new girlfriend would be okay with it. Instead, Romilda had badgered Hermione at every possible moment.

_"That's a nice dress, Hermione," Romilda said sweetly. "But I'm afraid the colour doesn't suit you much."_

_OOO_

_"Hermione, tell me, does your hair look like that naturally or is it a lot of work to style it into such a..."_

_OOO_

_"Oh, I wish I could eat a chocolate cake, but I'm trying to lose a few pounds. But good for you, Hermione, that you're comfortable with your body."_

Dozens of little memory flashes hit Ron and he groaned again, this time about himself. How could he have been so stupid and not seen it?

"I remember it. She was awful to you. Why did I never say anything?"

"You were in love," Hermione shrugged. "And she was good at doing it low-key. The really bad things were only said and done when you weren't around. She knew quite well what she was doing and everything was pretty passive-aggressive. The real problem started when she began to isolate me from you. She hated us spending time together and did everything she could to prevent it. And then..." Hermione took a deep breath and looked at Ron with a pained impression on her beautiful face.

"I don't know what she did or said, but one day she convinced you that we couldn't be friends anymore. And you.."

"I abandoned our friendship for her," Ron muttered darkly.

 _In the end, you will always decide for me, as you did before._  That was what Romilda meant at the café. He had decided for her and against Hermione. A painful memory forced his way into his consciousness.

_"You're expecting me to sit by and watch you flirt with your former love?"_

_"Hermione and I were never a couple!"_

_"I don't care about that! You loved her, maybe you still do, and now that she's back you're spending an awful amount of time with her." Thick tears rolled down Romilda's cheeks, ruining her make-up._

_"I don't want you to see her anymore." She declared with deadly finality. "It's me or her."_

"I'm so sorry, Mione." He whispered.

"It's okay, Ron. I stopped being angry at that a long time ago. The reason why hadn't had contact in the last years wasn't anger. We were both just awfully stubborn. I think neither of us wanted to make the first move and apologise. Like the times we fought at Hogwarts. We always fought and then ignored each other till Harry or Ginny would force us to end this silliness." Hermione chuckled.

"So, we didn't speak for three years because we were idiots?"

"Well, you were still together with that bimbo. I would have rather jumped off the Eiffel tower than to apologise." Hermione waved her hand and then grimaced.

"But you hung up this morning. I thought for sure you would be angry."

"It wa- I wasn't angry.. but rather scared. Frankly, I still am."

"Of what?"

"Of you getting your memories back. We both said some awful things."


	8. The New Normal

Ron stepped out of the room behind Hermione with a featherlight feeling in his chest. They had made a bit awkward small talk, but he had the definite feeling that they were on the best way to rebuild their friendship and maybe even become more. Ron felt like fate was giving him a second chance with Hermione.

When they stepped out Ron saw that only Harry, George and Fred were still there, immersed in a TV show about baking. Ron chalked it up as something he couldn't understand because of his memories.

"I should go," Hermione announced while she watched the three men in front of the TV with an amused smile.

"Don't be a stranger, Granger," George smirked while he got up and hugged her as well.

"You say that every time." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, because you run off to some foreign country all the time." George grinned back, but before Hermione could say something she was almost tackled down to the floor by Harry.

"Mione, call if you need help with finding a flat and with moving. And Ginny's says you should text her tomorrow. She's out with her study group. But she wants to have drinks with you as soon as possible." Laughing Hermione detangled herself from Harry and made her way to Ron.

"Bye Ron and call when you remember something and want to talk about it." She hugged him, but distinctly shorter and less fierce then Harry and George. Ron could still feel the distance between them.

"I will walk you to the door." Fred offered and Ron flopped down on the sofa. He watched how Fred and Hermione said goodbye by the door. How Fred, similar to George, hugged her and said something to make her laugh and how Hermione blushed a bit. His stomach clenched at the sight. Both of the twins were kind of protective of Hermione, Ron had already noticed, but with Fred, it really annoyed him somehow. Ron couldn't place this funny feeling, so he pushed it aside for the moment. He was happy and wanted to cherish that.

With the last wave of her hand, Hermione exited the flat and Fred sat down beside George again. For a few minutes, the twins shoved each other, for whatever reason only known to them, then they proceeded to explain to Ron the appeal of _The Great British Bake Off_ , a show that Ron mainly linked to his mother but apparently his brothers had become big fans in the last years.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron was over the moon after meeting Hermione. For the first time after his accident, he felt truly happy and whole again. Meeting Hermione had been the best thing that could ever happen. With a spring in his step, Ron made his way to the shop to work the afternoon shift with Susan.

Susan greeted him with a bright smile and with a grin he gave her a half-hug with one arm around her shoulder.

"What got you in such a good mood?" She laughed.

"Just a good day," he grinned and with an easy rhythm, they started to work. Today they both had the late afternoon till early evening shift and Ron was finally able to test his cocktail skills. George and Fred were with him behind the bar and showed him during the lazy afternoon hours how everything was done. In between Susan joined them and tested Ron's creations.

"Well, this one is almost perfect I would say. Even better than before your accident." Susan complimented Ron's _Gillywater Cocktail_. It was a Gin Tonic cocktail with cucumber, mint, lemon and orange that was mixed with Fred and George's very own Gin. The twins had made it a habit to invent own cocktails or change little things of the common recipes just to get the chance to create crazy names for them.

"Be careful, Bones. Can't have you drunk during the shift." Ron teased and snatched the glass from her hands to taste a sip himself. It really was good.

"Wouldn't be the first time." She rolled her eyes and pointed on the menu. "Make this one for me."

"What the hell is that?" Ron snickered as he read the name of the cocktail. Apparently, _THE FRED_ was a Gin cocktail with ginger and brown sugar. Only the twins would be crazy enough to name a cocktail after themselves but as Ron searched for another cocktail named after George, he suddenly remembered _THE FRED._

_A few days after Harry and Ron moved into Grimmauld Place Fred was finally, after weeks spent in the hospital, released and could go home. Their mother was of course crying and fussing terribly over Fred, but George had already planned a fabulous party at the shop._

_"Ronniekins," Fred ruffled through Ron's hair, a cocktail in one hand and a cigar in the corner of his mouth. The twins had decided that tonight was a night for celebration and guilty pleasure._ THE FRED _was the signature cocktail of the evening, specially created by George for this occasion._

_"Why the long face, little brother? I thought we are celebrating me being alive and well and all that jazz." Fred grinned._

_"Hermione- I to- I couldn't do it. I haven't told her. Our agreement-"_

_"Forget our agreement, Ron. Don't do it because you feel pressured by it. Do it when the timing is right. When it feels right. When she comes back from Romania you will have another chance."_

The memory of this evening was bittersweet and Ron was trying to remember what the agreement meant. Clearly, it was a deal about his confession towards Hermione, but what had Fred to do with that? Distracted Ron mixed the cocktail and took the first sip, remembering how Fred had offered him the very same drink that night so long ago.

"Oi, that's mine!" Susan snatched the drink from him and took a large sip. "I tell you, _Fred_ is the single best thing we have on the menu."

"Thank you, my dear lovely Miss Bones. I always knew I taste delicious." Fred winked towards her, a large box in his arms. "Here are the fresh ingredients for tonight."

For hours Ron was occupied by work and his mind was pleasantly off his normal memory loss problems. Instead, he had the time to observe the shop, the guests and the staff. The guests were the usual young people, university students and young workforce, who wanted a nice drink after work. The mood was light and joking, soft music played in the background and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Like the last time a few women ordered directly at the bar in order to flirt with Ron, but this time he was prepared and declined friendly with Hermione in his mind. If he wanted a chance with her this time then he had to do this right.

Susan and Fred were both working as waiters today, while George had the evening off. Apparently, he had a hot date with Angelina Johnson, his long-time girlfriend, and wasn't expected back till the next morning by Fred. Fred was meanwhile jumping between playing waiter and helping Ron behind the bar.

By the time they were finally closing up, Ron felt every bone in his body. He was absolutely knackered and sank down on an armchair. Fred was checking everything the last time and Ron started to think about his past. He wasn't a completely terrible person but he had made some pretty terrible mistakes. The more he learned about his past, the more he disliked himself.

"What are you pondering about? Happy Ron was much more my taste." Susan sat down opposite him, a new drink in hand.

"Just about myself." He nodded thankfully when she handed him a beer.

"Sounds pretty narcissistic."

"Yeah... I get the impression that I wasn't the best person in the last years, maybe being too focused on myself was the main problem."

"What gives you that idea?" Susan asked with wide eyes.

"Well, for one my terrible decision to break one of my oldest friendships for Romilda, plus my general behaviour towards women. I don't recognise myself sometimes in my memories. Is that crazy?"

"Nah," Susan shook her head wildly, "I think it's normal. Everyone changes over time, especially after graduation. I think the Hogwarts Susan wouldn't recognise me either when she met me on the street. People change, that's normal. And don't forget, a few months ago you decided to change again, to change your life. So, don't be so hard on yourself." Ron blushed and felt a bit guilty. Ever since he called Hermione yesterday morning he hadn't really thought about this other mysterious girl. And now that he was sure that his feelings for Hermione were as strong as ever, he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to remember her. It would only confuse his strange situation further.

"Thank you." He smiled at Susan and they clinked glasses. Fussy memories of them sitting in the shop like that, waiting for the final close up, drinking and chatting, flooded his mind. Maybe his past wasn't so bad.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

_Ron was running and running and running an endless path through a dark forest that looked suspiciously like the forbidden forest near Hogwarts. He was out of breath, but his goal was near so he kept running. And finally, on a small clearing, was the person he wanted to meet so desperately._

_Hermione stood there clad in a white dress, her hair long again and a bright smile on her face. But she wasn't looking in his direction. She was looking at another person that entered the clearing from the other side. It was a man with bright red hair and a mischievous smile on his face. Fred stepped forward to Hermione without hesitation and took her face in his hands to kiss her. For a small eternity, Ron's world was frozen as he saw his older brother kiss his beloved._

_"Hermione," he called out weakly and she turned to him. "I love you."_

_"But I love Fred. Did you really think I would decide for you when I had him as a choice?"_

With a racing heart and sweat all over his body, Ron woke up, sitting upright in his bed. His head was hammering with pain and his mouth felt try.

 _A dream, it was a dream_. Ron was absolutely sure. This dream - this nightmare - was different from the memories he gained back in his sleep. It was surreal and painful, a nightmare. But what if his subconscious wanted to tell him something?

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

The next morning Ron knocked at the door to the twins flat with a nervous flutter in his stomach. He needed to know and there was only one person he could ask. So, he stepped into the flat when George opened, sat down on the kitchen table with his brothers and took the tea they offered him. For half an hour he just chatted with them, asked questions about the shop and the inventions, tried to feign interest for the boring life of Percy and the daughter of Bill. But only one thought was prominent the whole time. _Ask him!_

"Ron, you obviously have a reason for being here, so spit it out." Fred sighed.

"Yeah, the last time you joined us for breakfast you begged us to give Susan a job," George said while adding more milk to his tea.

"It's-" Ron started but hesitated for a moment. Did he really want to know? It could ruin his relationship with his brother.

"I had some confusion flashbacks and a disturbing nightmare and I-... Fred, were you in love with Hermione?" With a sudden _clank,_ George dropped his spoon, but Fred appeared absolutely relaxed.

"Yes." And there it was. The one word, the one confirmation, that pulled out a heavily buried memory from Ron's mind.

_He was at the hospital beside Fred's bed and waited for his brother to wake up. Ginny had just forced George into a taxi so that he would shower and shave and maybe sleep for a few hours and Ron was here to hold the fort. Fred was waking up every few hours and while he wasn't in pain thanks to the drugs, he still needed familiar faces around him._

_"Ron?" The weak voice of his brother asked confused._

_"Hey Freddie, how do you feel?"_

_"Like a mummy," the twin joked and gestured to his upper body. The car accident had hurt Fred's internal organs pretty badly and an emergency operation had been needed to patch him up. But still, Fred would probably have to spend weeks, maybe months, at the hospital to monitor the healing._

_"What are you doing here?"_

_"Dumbledore gave Ginny and me special permission to visit you. Mum and Dad are at the police station with Percy. He has to identify the other driver. And Ginny is probably force-feeding George right now."_

_"That prat, I told him to go home." Fred rolled his eyes. "Heard you broke up with Lavender?" Ron snorted and Fred shrugged, well at least he tried to._

_"What? I'm bored. Entertain me with some school gossip about randy teenagers and their unimportant problems." So, Ron tried to tell the tale of his break-up as amusing as possible._

_"Let me tell you one thing because almost dying made me so much wiser." Fred grinned. "Don't waste your time with girls you don't like. Chase after the one you always wanted, try your luck." A deep sigh escaped Fred and he closed his eyes for a moment._

_"Maybe I should do that too. Maybe I can convince the lovely Miss Granger to go on a date with me." Fred winked as he opened his eyes again but Ron only blanched. His older brother, who he had always admired, was in love with the same girl as him._ _I took all his courage to admit that fact to Fred._

"We had a deal, an agreement," Ron whispered, not quite able to grasp what he had just remembered.

"A gentleman's agreement." Fred supplied. "We agreed that you would be the first to confess. You would have the first chance. And only if Hermione would reject you, then I would have made a move."

"Why? I mean, that highly unfair to you." Fred just shrugged.

"It was my suggestion. I didn't want us to fight because of Hermione. Plus, I was sure she would decide for you anyway."

"But I never did it. I never confessed."

"And I never made a move either, because I always knew that sooner or later you would do it. I knew your feelings for her were still there, despite all that shit you did in the last years." The words stung like needles.

"But I was with Romilda and- and I remember when you got out of the hospital. You encouraged me to wait for the right timing. How could you have been so patient? Why did you not hate me for not taking my chance? Did you not hate me for wasting my time with Romilda and all that one-night-stands?"

"God, Fred," George groaned. "Just tell him the truth. He's ripping himself apart with unnecessary guilt."

"Ron, I only made that agreement with you because I knew I didn't have a chance with Hermione. Till today I don't know why I even told you that I wanted to chase after her that day at the hospital. The truth is that I already knew at that time. I knew that Hermione would reject me because she already did it once." A deep, very heavy sigh escaped Fred.

"I had a crush on Hermione since my seventh year,"

"Sixth," George interrupted. "You were just too daft to realise it."

"Okay, sixth." Fred glared at his twin. "And sometime during your last year we started to.. get closer, we texted. And I tried to get her to go out with me. Just one date, one chance. She said, she would think about it, but in the end, she decided against it. She was quite nice about it, so since then, I try not to make things weird between us. When I said that at the hospital, it was more wishful thinking, dreaming. That's why I made that agreement with you."

"You asked her for a date?"

"It was before I knew about your feelings." Fred hastily assured, but Ron only felt hollow.

"And weren't angry with me?" Somewhere deep inside his heart, he was torn between self-hatred for fucking up so royally and being so happy about Fred's misery at the same time. He didn't want to be happy that Hermione rejected him, but the pain from his nightmare seemed to vanish at once. His fear was blown away.

"Oh, I was, but never because I thought you wasted your chance. I almost hit you when you and Hermione had that awful fight three years ago." Fred sipped on his tea with a grin.

_Fred ripped open the door to the flat and thundered towards Ron with the fury of a striking bull._

_"You! What did you do?" But Ron only ignored his brother. He wasn't in the mood for another exhausting fight._

_"I saw Hermione! She was crying and ran out of the building. What did you do?" Fred grabbed Ron at the collar, yanking him up from the sofa._

_"That's not your business." Ron snapped. In his opinion, Fred should be thankful. Now that Hermione was angry at him and Ron was in a relationship, Fred was free to make his move._

_"God help me, Ron, if you weren't my brother I would beat you up so badly..." Fred growled, but let go. "You better apologise to her quickly."_

"So, what now?"

"Now you have the chance to find out if the timing is finally right." Fred winked with only a slight hurt in his eyes. Somehow Ron felt the duty to finally do it. He owed it to Fred, who not only gave him this chance but also managed to be the better man about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you didn't see that one coming muhahahaha! Quite a big inspiration for this story was this How I Met Your Mother quote: 'If you have chemistry, you only need one other thing - timing. But timing is a bitch.'
> 
> So essential this is a story about timing and unrequited love. And it's about friendship and family. I also enjoy fics were Ron and Fred quarrel a bit, but I wanted a different approach. I wanted this character development for Ron, as you all have probably picked up on.
> 
> But we still have drama and fighting ahead, I hope you enjoy it. Please review.


	9. The Confession

Hermione and Ginny were sitting at a new bar in London, blissfully tiddly, with a drink in hand and a grin on their faces. They had spent the last few hours catching up on what they had missed in the last few months since they had seen each other last.

Despite what most people assumed Hermione, Ginny and Harry had managed to meet quite regularly in the last years and phoned often. Still, the need to chat and tell everything face to face was overwhelming and the two women always needed an evening alone in a bar to do so. Harry was all too glad to give them their time and join the next day for a hangover breakfast.

"Mione, come home with me. Now that you're finally talking with Ron again we can have the breakfast at my place."

"Gin, I don't think that's - _hic -_ a good idea. It's still awkward with Ron."

"Then let's sleep at the twins flat. I still have a room there."

"Nooooooo," Hermione whined. She slowly became aware that she was so much drunker than she had thought. And she didn't want to make an idiot out of herself. She already had the impressive stats of two Weasleys, who were awkward with her and she didn't feel the urge to add more to that list.

"Nonsense, besides you're way too drunk to go home by yourself. As a responsible friend, I can't allow that." Ginny slurred. "Who knows, in the end, you try to take advantage of the fetching Blaise Zabini. Can't have that. If you shag him I want you sober enough so that you can tell me everything in detail afterwards."

"I'm afraid I'm not quite Blaise's type." Hermione giggled at the thought of trying to seduce Blaise. The poor guy would probably die while laughing about her.

"Whatever. My place, Granger." Ginny smirked and pulled Hermione up, while a few drunk guys at the table beside them whistled catcalls.

"I would love to go home with you, red, when your friend isn't up to it." One yelled.

"Or maybe you two are searching for a third one?" His friend laughed and with a swift movement, Ginny emptied their beer glass over their heads.

"Feeling better? You looked like you needed a cooling-down." The redhead grinned and then grabbed Hermione's hand, who nearly fell over laughing at the scene. They bid Hannah Abbott, Neville's girlfriend who worked behind the bar, goodbye and with a big wave, they called a cab.

The next morning Hermione was disorientated for a moment before she saw Ginny beside her in the bed. Her friend was still in the clothes from the night before, as was Hermione, and both laid on top of the duvet. Hermione almost laughed out loud at the scene and Ginny's snoring and then proceeded to stand up.

Her head was aching terribly, her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton and her belly was doing flips. She was royally hungover. With wobbly legs, she made her way to the bathroom, relieved herself and then washed up her face, mouth and body as much as possible. When she finally emerged, Fred was watching her amused from the living room

_Well, shit_ It seemed like Ginny had held her promise to take Hermione home with her and Hermione wasn't sure if she should be thankful to be at the twins flat. But Ron and Harry's flat would have been equally strange so she swallowed her abashment and walked towards Fred.

"Long night out with Ginny?" He grinned when she flopped down and she groaned when her head protested the sudden movement with a headache.

"I heard it's against the Geneva Convention to interrogate someone while they are hungover," Hermione grumbled into the cushion. She heard Fred's laughter and was more than glad that he made it so easy for them to stay friends. Not even once did he try to argue with her decision or tried to sway her. Instead, he was behaving perfectly normal.

"Here." Hermione opened her eyes and saw a small glass with a deep orange liquid.

"We call it _pepper-up potion_. Helps with almost everything. Colds, hangover, soreness..."

"And what is it made of?" Hermione inquired. She knew the twins too long and too good to trust them blindly when they offered something to eat or drink.

"I'm afraid that's a secret, but I swear it works and it doesn't taste that bad. George and I use it all the time. Don't forget, we are testing all our products ourselves and alcohol is always double-checked. We invented it in our the fifth year to get fit for classes." Fred winked and she decided to just try it. Worst case she would puke it back on his feet immediately and that would be quite a nice punishment.

"Always wondered how you two managed it through the day during school," Hermione muttered.

"Cheers." With a quick gulp, she emptied the glass and swallowed the liquid. It tasted suspiciously like pumpkin and spices, but not bad. With closed eyes, she fell back onto the sofa.

Hermione and Fred spent almost an hour in comfortable silence while the _pepper-up_ worked its magic. She could hear how he thumbed through his book and sometimes scribbled something down. She knew his habit of writing into his own books and cringed whenever she heard the sound of pencil on paper. She hated it when people did that. No matter if it were their own books, it was a crime.

Hermione guessed that Fred thought she was asleep when he leaned down beside her and pushed a curl out of her face. She kept her relaxed sleeping face perfectly but still he pulled his hand away immediately and she felt a soft tingle on her skin. Sometimes - more often than she was ready to admit to herself - she wished things were different. She wished she had a time-turner or a time-machine to travel back and prevent herself from rejecting him. In the past years, she had asked herself quite often _What if?_ But it was too late and she had to live with her decision. Fred had moved on with his life and they were normal friends again.

An hour later Ginny emerged from her room, gladly took the _pepper-up_ , and then called Harry down. The three of them made their way to a small café around the corner instead of cooking and refused to take any of the three Weasley brothers with them. Hangover breakfasts with just the three of them were a well-loved tradition and those had to be kept alive.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

"Let's host a party." Ginny declared while she laid on the sofa, her legs in Harry's lap and her head dangling over the armrest.

"Not a big party, just a get-together with friends. Ron can catch up with everyone and we can celebrate Hermione being back to London." Ron stared at his sister in disbelief. Last time they celebrated something he lost four years of his memory and he wasn't keen on a repeat. Not to forget that Ginny was still recovering from her night out with Hermione. But Ginny wouldn't hear any of that and so a party for the same evening was planned.

It was a Saturday evening, exactly one week after Ron's accident, and Ginny managed to invite the guests, order food and drinks from the twins and inform the neighbours in under one hour. After another hour the flat was party proofed, every possibly breakable item was stored away, and every room was hoovered and cleaned up with the order _to hide your porn magazines, Ron_ from Ginny.

To Ron's surprise most people actually showed up on such short notice and almost all of his friends were present. He caught up with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, who still lived together and had outed themselves as a couple roughly two years ago. Ron chuckled as the memory came back to him and at the same time was immensely glad that he hadn't reacted like an arse back then. The couple spent the evening mostly with the Patil twins, who delivered well-wishes from Lavender. Stunned Ron realised that he had built a good friendship with his ex since the break-up from Romilda.

With Neville Longbottom and his girlfriend, Hannah Abbott Ron spent a good amount of time listening to stories about their biology studies. Apparently, Neville was set on becoming a teacher while Hannah currently thought about taking over the pub from her uncle in a few years.

With Luna Lovegood, who was still as strange and confusing as ever, and her boyfriend Rolf Scamander Ron talked about endangered animals and the couple's journeys around the world. Ron found Rolf was the perfect fit for the blonde girl, plus it was the first time Ron and Rolf met so there were no weird memory flashes.

Finally, after hours of nervous waiting, Hermione arrived and Ron almost jumped up as he welcomed her. But his enthusiasm was damped when Blaise Zabini, Hogwarts' heartbreaker number one, walked into the room beside Hermione, a hand casually on her lower back. With a forced smile, Ron welcomed them both and then proceeded to watch them throughout the evening for a sign that they were more than friends. He even managed to annoy Susan away, who had tried to have a conversation with him but finally gave up when she realised he wasn't listening. She vanished with a huff and a threat to pay him back for his rudeness.

"Ron, chill a bit. They are just friends." Harry patted Ron on the back and handed him a fresh bottle of beer. It was only his second drink tonight and he wanted to keep it that way. Getting drunk wasn't high on his to-do-list, especially with Hermione in the same room.

"I'm not so sure about that," he replied gloomily. "They are a bit too touchy for my taste." Ron watched how Hermione leaned laughing into Blaise.

"Please don't-," Harry groaned, "don't let this be a repetition of the fourth year Yule Ball and Slughorn's party in sixth year. Ron, you know how Hermione gets when you let your temper run wild. Don't get jealous."

"But I am jealous!" Ron hissed and felt his anger built up. Wistfully he looked back to Hermione, who was talking to Angelina and Katie and eyed her. She was beautiful as ever. Laughing, full of happiness and life, a smiling angel. Her hair flew around her head, her curls a storm of chestnut wildness.

When Ron looked up again, he met the gaze of Fred, who winked at him before he turned back to Lee Jordan. Fred had said that it was all about timing. But what if he missed the best chance? How was he to know when the timing was right?

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Fred wished he could kick himself right in the stomach. Maybe he should ask George to do him the favour, or Lee. Both would probably be overjoyed with the chance to sock him one for fun.

The reason why Fred thought about such drastic measures was his inability to take his eyes off Hermione Granger. Ever since the morning, when he touched her hair in a moment of weakness, he was back to square one. And square one was, unfortunately, his emotional state of four years ago. He didn't want to be in love with the same girl as his little brother, especially when this girl had already rejected him. But for whatever crazy reason he was unable to forget her. And now that she was back in his life his old feeling pushed to the surface with full force.

Tonight, Hermione looked especially beautiful with her dark red shirt, that made her skin glow and accented her hair. Plus, she was wearing these absolutely hot high heels and tight black trousers, showing her legs and painful, bittersweet memories made Fred's heart heavy. And despite this pain, he wasn't able to look away. Her smile, her laugh, it was enthralling.

Fred knew that Hermione and Blaise were just friends, he wasn't jealous, but a part of him wished he was the one beside her. Accompanying her through the room, keeping her steady when she laughed so much that she stumbled. A part of him would always wish for that, while the other part tried to get accustomed to the idea of Hermione as Ron's girlfriend. Hermione as Ron's wife. Hermione as his sister-in-law and nothing more.

While Fred watched the little brunette, he saw that his brother was doing the same. Ron's eyes were fixed on Hermione and an odd mixture of longing and jealousy was written on his face. Fred hoped that he wasn't stupid enough to mess this up again. Ron had already chased Hermione away once with his temper, a second time would be irreparable.

He threw his brother a - hopefully - cheerful wink and then finally turned back to Lee and tried his hardest to not look at Hermione for the rest of his evening.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Hermione was enjoying herself immensely. It was great to meet so many old friends and classmates again and most of them were in quite a drinking mood. Halfway through the evening, Hermione was more than glad that she had asked Blaise to come with her and prevent her from doing something stupid. Granted, he was overdoing it a bit with sticking at her side like that - a few people had already asked if they were a couple - but he did a good job. He provided her with water regularly and forced her to eat once in a while so that she wouldn't get too drunk. That was the best thing about partying with Blaise. He never drank on parties but was still an enjoyable company.

But in between talking and laughing with old friends Hermione felt her gaze wander off to Fred. He was standing in a corner, talking suspiciously with Lee and both snickered mischievously about something. It gave her the strong suspicion that they planned a prank or two, it wouldn't be the first time. During their school time, Hermione had often tried to prevent their shenanigans, but now she was kind of looking forward to it.

Fred was so immersed in his conversation; not once did he look in her direction. Hermione wasn't sure if she should be glad, because it saved her the embarrassment of being caught by him, or disappointed because he ignored her so thoroughly. It gave her heart a little sting and she scolded herself for thinking that way. But still, his carefree smile made her stomach flip.

"Granger, I knew you were keeping something from me, but who would have thought that it isn't a _something_ but a redhaired _someone_." Blaise snickered beside her as he followed her eyes, which were fortunately still fixed on Fred.

"Shhhh, would you please shut up?" She hissed, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into Harry's room.

"You know that will certainly not help with the rumours about us," Blaise smirked.

"Who cares," Hermione muttered into her glass and sat down on Harry's bed.

"Well, maybe your Weasley cares." Blaise ambled through the room and inspected Harry's personal belongings in a bored way.

"The twin, don't know which one, might want to know that you are free and very, very willing." He picked up a small golden soccer trophy and started to play with it.

"He won't, don't worry your pretty head over it." Hermione snapped and bit back another comment about her own stupidity, but thankfully she wasn't drunk enough yet.

"More secrets?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow and a smug grin. He never inquired or forced an answer and he was never miffed when people decided to keep things from him - as long as those things didn't affect him. And so, he didn't protest when Hermione stood up and left the room without another word. She wouldn't have this conversation right now, drunk and roughly ten meters away from Fred.

With a huff, she stumbled out of the room and right into Ron. He looked down at her with wide eyes, then hastily to the room where Blaise still stood with a smug face.

"Mione, everything okay?" Ron asked with a glare in Blaise's direction.

"I'm fine." She rolled her eyes. It was quite typical for Ron to get concerned about Blaise, just like old times. Old times she didn't miss, because his irrational behaviour had ruined a few of her dates in the last years.

"Come with me for a moment." Ron pulled her into his own room and closed the door behind them. Hermione snickered involuntarily. By now the whole party would think that she was up to no good with either Blaise or Ron.

"Mione, I don't know-" Ron fidgeted and started to wring his hands. "I don't know how to say that the best, but..." He finally looked at her. Hope was shining in his eyes.

"Mione, we are best friends since we were eleven years old and I know our friendship wasn't quite easy in the last years, but... but I really need you to know that-"

"Ron," Hermione whispered almost inaudible.

"No, please let me say that. Hermione, you don't know-"

"Ron..."

"No," he stated firmly. "I need to say that because I never did it all those years ago."

"No Ron, that's where you are wrong. You did." Hermione could hear how her own voice broke and with a sudden panicked feeling in her chest, she ripped open the door and made a beeline for the front door of the flat. Thankfully most people were too busy to mind her so she made it to the staircase without being bothered. But instead of running downwards, out of the house, she chose the way upwards. She almost ran and congratulated herself for her quick thinking when she heard Ron exiting the flat, calling for her, while he ran downwards.

With a heavy sigh, that quickly developed into a sob, she sank down on the stairs. That couldn't be happening again. This had to be a nightmare, a terrible déjà vu.

"Granger?" George and Angelina peered around the corner, both flushed and a bit out of breath. Hermione instantly blushed and wiped away a single tear.

"Sorry, don't mind me. I didn't know you were here." She tried to get up, but George was faster. He sat down beside her, laid one arm around her shoulder and nodded to Angelina, who vanished with a shy smile.

"So, love, what got you into this wet state? And not the good kind of wet." He joked and a little smile tucked at her lips till she remembered what almost happened.

"It's Ron. He- he wanted to tell me.." She looked up at George and her desperation seemed to be quite visible because George showed genuine worry.

"He's looking at me again the same way as he did four years ago. He's in love with me again and I don't know if I can handle it. It's too much. It already ruined our friendship once and I can't handle that a second time. He wanted to tell me, but I ran away " She whispered sadly, but George had heard her well enough and whispered back in a stunned way.

"You knew. We always thought you didn't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another inspiration for this story was the song Adore by Amy Shark and I tried to translate the feelings this song invokes in me into this chapter. Listen to it when you don't know it already, it's a wonderful song.


	10. The Hidden Pain

As Hermione slowly grumbled into a sobbing mess on the shoulder of George, Ron ran out of the apartment building and to the street. With wide eyes, he saw a cab just turn around the corner, away from the house. And as Ron didn't know any better he assumed that Hermione was inside that cab, running away from him. Defeated he sank down on the doorstep of the building.

_No, Ron, that's where you are wrong. You did._ Hermione's sad voice was like an echo in his head, repeating those words over and over again. Harry and Fred both said that he never confessed. They had no reason to lie. But maybe he had been the one who lied?

_After the conversation with Fred at the hospital and their gentleman's agreement, Ron was desperately waiting for a chance to tell Hermione. But unfortunately, she was so preoccupied with learning for the finals and shooing Harry and Ron into the library, that there was simply no good opportunity. Ron guessed that in her current, studying-obsessed state of mind Hermione wouldn't react well to a love confession. So, he gulped down the words that tortured him_ _and waited._

_OOO_

_The finals party was_ the _day, Ron decided spontaneously. The mood was good, he already had had a few beers and was relaxed and Hermione was too, for a change. She was so carefree tonight, maybe this his was the best chance. After hearing that Harry planned the same thing tonight with Ginny, both friends got themselves a round of whiskey to help along with their courage. But they were soon joined by others, so one round became four and when Ron left the merry drinking group he was pretty pissed. Nonetheless, he discovered Hermione quickly._

_"Miooooneeee," he called out happily. She was currently talking with Parvati Patil and Susan Bones, but both girls vanished when Ron sneaked an arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her close to him. He hugged her but didn't let go. Hermione's head was right under his chin and with a racing heart, he buried his nose into her hair._

_"Ron, everything okay?" Hermione laughed quietly and forced herself out of his arms. She gave him a critical look-over._

_"Good god, how much did you drink?" She crinkled her nose and took a careful step back from him. But Ron didn't like that and so he made a step forward, putting his hands on her shoulders._

_"Mione, we are the bestes of friends, aren't we?" He began but in his drunken state, he couldn't quite remember the full speech he had prepared. And it had been such a good speech._

_"Mioneee," he tried again and shook his head a bit to clear his mind. For a minute it worked and a sudden feeling of courage roared through him._

_"I-", before Ron could say more he was vomiting directly in front of Hermione. Clearly, this roaring feeling in his stomach had been nausea, not courage. In his pathetic state, he recognised that Hermione had taken another step back from him right in time and was now eyeing him with a mixture of disappointment and pity._

_"Oi Hermione, need help?" Neville walked towards them, an amused grin all over his face._

_"Yeah, could you bring Ron to the dormitory, please? I think the night is over for him." Ron wanted to protest but found that he didn't quite have the necessary energy._

_The next morning his memories were a blur and he apologised a dozen times, even though Hermione wasn't angry. The news that his best friends had succeeded in his confession despite puking on Ginny's feet made him even more miserable._

_OOO_

_After the disaster at the finals party, Ron was even more determined to find a good moment. They still had a few weeks till graduation and these weeks were spent by everyone in blissful laziness. Most students of their year lounged around the lake, skived off classes and sneaked down to Hogsmeade. And every evening there was a new party somewhere in the castle._

_Normally that should have given Ron more than enough good opportunities to get a moment with Hermione alone. But for some crazy reason, his best friend was still constantly spending her time in the library. And in the evenings she always seemed to be surrounded by people. She was in no case avoiding him, it just seemed like fate didn't want Ron to confess. So, he decided to create an opportunity._

_"Mione, how about a picnic at the lake today? Just the four of us." Harry asked innocently during breakfast. Ron's plan was rather simple. They would meet and after some time Harry would convince Ginny to spend some alone time and leave Ron with Hermione._

_"I'm sorry, Harry, but I have to finish something today. Maybe next weekend." Hermione smiled and made herself a porridge. She was the only one who was still studying so hard. It was ridiculous._

_"Oh my god, Hermione," Ron snorted, "would you please try to relax a bit? Finals are over. Step out of the library for once and do something fun."_

_"I'm having_ fun _at the library, thank you, Ronald." She replied icily and grabbed her bag. "And just because finals are over doesn't mean you can slag. I, for my part, are working on what I want to do after school." With a huff, Hermione stood up and left them behind._

_"Smooth, really smooth." Harry rolled his eyes. "One would think you know her long enough to not make her angry while you try to woo her." Ron groaned. Maybe he was just an idiot with girls._

_OOO_

_After two more weeks of Hermione's isolation, Ron had enough. With blazing anger in his veins, he stormed into the library and searched for her. It was certainly not the time to confess but they were still friends and he was quite miffed about how his best friend behaved. She should be out there, having fun with them, getting some tan and enjoying the last weeks as a teenager. Cause after graduation the cold, harsh world of universities and responsibilities awaited them._

_To Ron's surprise, he didn't find her in the library and when he started to wander the castle afterwards, he saw her coming out of McGonagall's bureau._

_"Oi," he called out, "I searched for you. Want to go to the lake? Harry and Ginny are having a picnic." He smiled and Hermione agreed instantly._

_"I have some news," she announced as soon as they sat down beside the others. "I applied for a volunteer year and McGonagall just informed me that I have the position. I'm going to work with Charlie on the reserve in Romania and learn everything about endangered animals and animal protection." A broad grin broke on her face and Ginny almost yelled out her congratulations. Harry also hugged her with a smile._

_"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Ron asked flabbergasted._

_"Well, I wasn't sure if I would get it." Hermione shrugged and took a coke from Ginny._

_"Please, with Charlie working there it was guaranteed."_

_"Charlie doesn't know I applied and he isn't even on the board that chooses the volunteers." Hermione glared at him and Ron glared right back. He was angry at her for keeping such big plans to herself. And for leaving the country for one year. While Harry, Ginny and Hermione started to chat excitedly about the reserve, a simple truth hit Ron right in the heart. She would be away for a whole year! The thought kept him busy till deep in the night and only then he realised that he had forgotten to congratulate Hermione._

_OOO_

_His first thought had been to confess at graduation, maybe even in front of the whole school. Daydreams of Hermione jumping right into his arm while he declared his undying love flitted through his mind. But the rational part of his brain told him that Hermione wouldn't appreciate a public declaration and so he decided against the graduation day altogether. Too many people, too much excitement._

_OOO_

_His next masterplan was the train ride back to London. He always spent those rides with Harry and Hermione, but this time Harry, fortunately, had a girlfriend and would surely be away for some time._

_Almost skipping Ron made his way down to the train with Harry. Hermione was already there, early bird and all that jazz, and waved at them with a bright smile._

_"Seamus had the best idea ever." She announced and nodded towards the Irish man beside her._

_"Yeah, I thought we Gryffindors could all spend the last ride together, you know. Get one of the big compartments and keep each other company one last time."_

_"It's brilliant," Hermione pulled them with her eagerly. "Who knows when we all see each other again." And so, Ron's plans were ruined again._

_OOO_

_Hermione's_ farewell party _really was his last chance. She had spent the weeks between graduation and the party with her parents and other relatives and even though Ron had no right to be angry with that, he still felt himself panic. His time was running out slowly. What if she met some kind of big, muscular and super intelligent animal protector on the reserve and eloped with him? He had seen some of Charlie's friends and unfortunately all that working outdoors kept the guys awfully fit and trim._

_So tonight, Ron was a man on a mission and nothing and nobody could prevent him from doing it. Tonight would be his night. And he had the perfect plan. Since the party was at Sirius' townhouse he had time to inspect the location beforehand and find the perfect place._

_Three hours into the evening Ron was leading Hermione to the small library. He knew she hadn't visited it before and hoped that would set a good mood for the start. He had only drunk two small beers - no repeat of that embarrassment - and knew his speech by heart._ _She followed him reluctantly, not keen on leaving her guests._

_"Mione," he pulled her to a small sofa and urged her to sit down beside him. "We've been friends since we were eleven years old and I'm really glad to have you in my life." He started and felt himself smile. He was nervous, but this was his moment._

_"You're beautiful and loyal and the nicest person I know. And- and what I really want to say is-"_

_"Ron..." Hermione suddenly whispered softly with wide eyes._

_"No, let me say this, Hermione. I've been in love with you for ages, probably since years. I just realised it a few months ago. I love you and I think you and I could be brilliant together. So, would you consider going on a date with me when you come back from Romania?"_

_"Ron," she whispered again and for a moment Ron thought he heard the happiness in her voice._

_"Ron, you're my best friends and you mean the world to me but... but I'm not in love with you."_

_"Yet, I know, but we could try, right? Get to know each other in a different way. We can just go on a date, just one date." Ron almost pleaded._

_"No," Hermione's voice was firm. "That's not a good idea. I could destroy our friendship."_

_"Or it could be the best thing to ever happen."_

_"Ron, I just don't see you that way. You're my friend and I love you in a platonic way, but I don't think I can fall in love with you."_

_"So, you won't even give me a chance? I mean, we could be so good together. We already are close and know each other so well, we could be the perfect couple."_

_"I think it needs more than that to fall in love." Hermione blushed a delicate pink._

_"Tell me! I will do anything." Now Ron was really pleading. He was grabbing the last straw._

_"Ron..."_

_"No, tell me, Hermione. What do you mean?"_

_"I don't know, it's just- I think to fall in love you need chemistry and I don't think you and I have that." She cringed at her own words._

_"So that's your reason?" Ron jumped up, suddenly angry. "You don't find me attractive? Never thought you would be so superficial. Maybe some git like McLaggan is more your taste, looks over personality? Well, then I don't understand why you ever dated Krum. He wasn't a looker, was he?" He spat. The boiling anger rushed directly into his head and he actually thought he was seeing red._

_"That's not what I said!" Hermione also jumped and glared at him with fury. "You're being unfair!"_

_"I'm unfair? You're friend zoning me and I am the one who's unfair?" Bitter laughter escaped him._

_"Friendzoning you? Are you out of your mind? We've been friends for years and now that you changed your mind, I am obligated to date you?" She stomped to the door, ripped it open and snapped a last_ You git! _at him._

_The evening ended with Ron drinking himself into an old-fashioned blackout and slept in late the next morning. He missed the chance to say goodbye to Hermione at the airport. But he still was too angry anyway. In the end, it took him one week to finally get over his hurt pride and apologise to Hermione via text message._

_OOO_

_Their real reconciliation happened at her_ welcome back _party._

_"Are we good?" He asked, referring to his hurtful words and his terrible behaviour._

_"Are we good?" She asked, referring to his feelings and her rejection. And Ron really meant it, when he said they were good. That his feelings weren't a problem anymore. But the following weeks proved him wrong. He still had these feelings and the thought of giving Fred his chance to confess was driving Ron crazy._

_The result was that Romilda became slowly wary of him. She noticed how he became more and more absent-minded in her presence and spent more and more time with Hermione._

_"You're expecting me to sit by and watch you flirt with your former love?"_

_"Hermione and I were never a couple!"_

_"I don't care about that! You loved her, maybe you still do, and now that she's back you're spending an awful amount of time with her." Thick tears rolled down Romilda's cheeks, ruining her make-up. For Ron, the decision wasn't easy but a crazy part of him thought that maybe a little more distance between him and Hermione would be a good thing. Maybe it would help him to finally get over her, to move on._

_OOO_

_For a while, Ron managed to keep away from Hermione quite well. He avoided meeting her alone and if they were meeting as a group Romilda would always be there. His girlfriend wasn't ecstatic with this solution, but still happier and Hermione didn't seem to notice. Or at least Ron thought so. Two days before her departure to Paris she suddenly stood in his room with an angry, tight smile on her face. Ron knew her long enough to see that she was suppressing a lot of anger._

_"What's up, Mione?" He asked confused. They were going to meet up with the usual group at a pub in two hours and her visit surprised him._

_"You tell me what's up! You're avoiding me." She growled. "You're avoiding being alone with me."_

_"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I do that?" He shrugged. He really wasn't keen on having this conversation. She would be away to France soon and then all his problems would be solved._

_"I'm not imaging it. Every time I ask you out for coffee or a beer or something else you either have no time or you invite countless other people. You even sabotage our meetings just with Harry. And I want to know why!" Her eyes flashed furiously._

_"Blimey, just say that you want to do something with just the three of us. I'm not a mind reader." He brushed off her arguments and Hermione frowned in disappointment._

_"You said we were good." She whispered and he knew at once what she was asking. He flinched unwillingly._

_"We are good." He snapped. He wanted them to be good, really._

_"No, obviously we are not. And I want to know why." Hermione demanded firmly._

_"Mione, listen, the thing is, Romilda doesn't like us hanging out alone. But we can still meet with the group, so it's not a big thing." He ruffled his hair._

_"So Romilda says we can't be friends any longer and you actually do it? Without talking to me about it?" Her voice was ice-cold._

_"Well, what do you want me to do? Choose between you and my girlfriend? I think we have a good compromise."_

_"No,_ we _have nothing because you already decided. And you didn't even have the decency to inform me."_ _Hermione folded her arms defensive._

_"Mione, seriously!"_ _Ron finally jumped out of his bed. "Why are you making such a big deal out of it? You're bloody overreacting!"_

_"I'm overreacting? Are you kidding me? You change our whole friendship because of your girlfriend and I'm the one overreacting?" She almost yelled. The mood was quickly tipping into a full-blown fight as Ron felt his temper rising._

_"I don't understand what your bloody problem is! It's not like we're not going to see each other again."_ _Furious they both stood opposite of each other and Ron knew how this would end. How it always ended, with one of them storming out in anger._

_"We will see. Let's see how long it will take till Romilda decides that she doesn't like me spending time with you at all. Till she no longer wants me at our pub nights or in your flat when I visit Ginny."_

_"Bloody hell, Hermione! You're totally blowing this out of proportion."_ _Ron almost laughed._

_"I'm not." She_ _hissed and Ron could see that she was near tears. A small_ pang _of guilt ached in his heart, but he was still too angry._

_"What do you expect me to do? Hurt my girlfriend with meeting you?"_ _He challenged her. Hermione would never hurt anyone._

_"I expect you to be my friend! You're hurting me too. And the worst is that you didn't even have the courage to tell me what's going on. That's saying a lot about who is more important to you. I would never do that to you." She snapped back and angry red blotches started to appear on her skin._ _At this, something snapped inside of Ron._

_"Oh, please, we both know pretty well that you would never decide for me because you already did decide against me."_ _He yelled at Hermione at this, staring at him confused._

_"What the hell are you talking about?_

_"I told you that I love you, it's clear that I care more about you than you care about me. Did you already forget? You rejected me, Hermione, don't accuse me of not caring for you."_ _Rage filled him as he thought back._

_"So, I'm only worth your time and friendship when I reciprocate your feelings? You know, somewhere along the way you stopped caring about me as your best friend. You did that when Lavender was treating me like shit and you're doing it now. I'm fed up of being either second best to your girlfriends or being the bitch who is_ friend zoning _you. Call me when you aren't such a git anymore and want to apologise for today."_ _And with that she stormed out of the flat, banging the door loudly._

_OOO_

_The weeks after their fight Ron was constantly angry. He couldn't believe what she had said to him and what she accused him of. How dare she belittle his feelings, belittle how important she was to him. And she actually moved to Paris without saying goodbye. Without inviting him alone to the airport or to visit her. Who was a bad friend now?_

_But after a few weeks, he slowly realised that he really had fucked up. And with every day that went by without him apologising it got harder to do it. Suddenly the new year arrived and Ron still hadn't contacted her. He had hoped she would call or text for Christmas, but she didn't and he wasn't brave enough. The first few months of 2015 rushed by and Ron's birthday came and again Hermione didn't reach out to him. So, Ron had to accept that she was really angry at him and actually meant it when she said he should call to apologise. But he was afraid of her reaction. What if she didn't forgive him? So, Ron preferred to live with the uncertainty rather than accepting a cruel truth._

Ron gasped for air as one memory after another hit him. No wonder Hermione had been so angry with him. Had hung up when he called. Had been wary of him. Had been careful of what to tell him.

_Everyone is the hero of his own life story._ Sometime during school, Hermione had told Ron and Harry this quote and explained it to them in length. She had explained how it could be helpful to understand the motivation of characters when writing an essay. But now Ron thought about this quote and became aware that maybe he was the hero of his own life, but more likely he was the villain in the life of countless others.


	11. The In-Between

"You're kidding me, aren't you? Granger..." George stared at her with his mouth wide open, one arm still casually around her shoulder.

"You can't tell anyone."

"Are you crazy? Ron behaved like an idiot, plus he lied to all of us. He said, he never confessed to you and that you two fought because of Romilda."

"Well, half of it is true..." Hermione tried, but George shook his head vehemently.

"No, you have no idea what Ron has done. It's-" He jumped up and started to pace the small corridor between the stairs. "Why didn't you tell us when it happened? We would have set Ron straight in no time."

"That's exactly why," Hermione gestured at his pacing. "I didn't want you to fight with him too. Ron and I both said awful things to each other and I moved to Paris two days later. If I had told you, I would have left a battlefield. It really wouldn't have been worth it. It was our fight, our problem. And I basically tried to force him to decide between me and his girlfriend, so I'm not much better."

"Of course you are! Romilda was-"

"-his girlfriend and he loved her, no matter how annoying and mean she was."

"But Hermione... Fred-" George looked pained but Hermione only sighed.

"That's another reason. I didn't want Ron and Fred to fight because of me. I wasn't even sure if they knew of each other's fee- interest in me." The _main_ reason, if Hermione had to be true. She couldn't instigate a fight between brothers.

"And by interest you mean being head over heels in love with you?" George snorted amused and Hermione felt a hot rush on her face.

"Granger, you have no idea." Tired George sank down beside her again. "I don't have secrets from Fred, at least not real ones, and I never lie to him. I hide sweets and my best whiskey from him and sometimes I tell him some exaggerated lie for a laugh, but never something important."

"I know," Hermione sighed. "Tell him if you must. It's probably not longer important anyway. It's been years since everything and fighting about it now would be really foolish." George shot her a look like he wanted to say something, but at that moment her mobile gave a small _beep_ and Hermione saw a text from Blaise.

_Young lady, I hope you're out to get fresh air and didn't actually leave me behind here like the freaking out Weasley is saying. Is everything okay?_

George snickered when she showed him the text.

"There is a heart behind his snobby, noble facade, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Blaise actually is a mother hen." Hermione grinned and quickly send her reply. It took Blaise under two minutes to arrive in the corner where George and Hermione were huddled together, bickering if tonight was a good time to tell Ron off. And maybe sock him one, as George suggested.

"Well, well, well," Blaise rolled his eyes, casually leaning against the wall. "While I had to witness the worst case of unnecessary freak-out ever, you're here cuddling with a ginger. Care to explain, Granger?" He grinned a Cheshire smile.

"The fair lady had a not so pleasant conversation with my brother. Apparently he wanted to confess his love to her-"

"-AGAIN?" Blaise grimaced.

"He knows?" George inquired.

"Yes, he does and now he will accompany me home where I will fall into my bed and try to forget this day. Maybe one of you can hit me on the head and help things along?" Hermione asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Not before you tell me all dirty little details about this." Blaise grinned and offered her his hand to stand up.

"Warn me before you let the cat out of the sack. And don't be too hard on Ron." Hermione whispered while she hugged George goodbye and then left as fast as possible with Blaise. They caught a cab and arrived at Blaise's flat soon.

"So, you're going to talk now or what?" Blaise asked with a twinkle, handed her a black tea and they made themselves comfortable on the sofa.

"There not much to tell. Ron tried to confess _again_ and I - stupid as I am - blurted out that he already did that. And then I ran away. Caught George and Angeline snogging." She sank down deeper into the sofa.

"Ah, so then Fred is the twin you were eyeing the whole evening. You would never go for a taken man." Blaise grinned and Hermione could have smacked herself. "Thank you for that. I thought it would take more to get that information out of you."

"Breath a word about that to anyone and you will be a dead man." Hermione hissed.

"So, there is something to tell?" Blaise smirked. He obviously had a lot of fun. "Is that the thing you're not telling me?"

"No," she added hasty, "I just don't need you spreading rumours. The whole situation is awkward enough. You can't imagine how stressful all of this is." With a sigh Hermione laid herself completely on the sofa, her feet in Blaise lap.

"Well, I could help you to relax." With a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows Blaise leaned down to her. Hermione had to admit to herself, that his offer was quite tempting. Blaise really did know what to do and it wouldn't be the first time.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron was running circles in the flat. After his little freak-out about his memories and Hermione's departure, Harry and Ginny had declared the party was over. Reluctantly the guests had gone home, but a few stayed to help with the cleaning.

While Ron paced he could see how Fred, Harry, Ginny, Lee, Angelina and Susan cleaned the empty glasses and cups, collected bottles and adjusted furniture back to their rightful places. He tried to help them a few times, but apparently he was in the way and Ginny finally shooed him into his room.

Ron collapsed on his bed and closed his eyes. Now that the memories were back, he felt the guilt and the shame like it was a fresh wound. But he couldn't help but to be also angry at Hermione. He had been a git, but she had been too. They both were at fault for letting the fight escalate, for not apologising and ignoring each other. And maybe that was the reason they both hadn't told anyone in the last years. Ron remembered what Hermione had told him at their _first_ meeting a few days ago.

_"So, we didn't speak for three years because we were idiots?"_

_"Well, you were still together with that bimbo. I would have rather jumped off the Eiffel tower than to apologise."_

_"But you hung up this morning. I thought for sure you would be angry."_

_"It wa- I wasn't angry.. but rather scared. Frankly, I still am."_

_"Of what?"_

_"Of you getting your memories back. We both said some awful things."_

Good god, she had been as scared as he was to contact him and apologise. They both had been frightened of being rejected by their best friend. Of not being forgiven. They really had been stubborn gits, both of them.

For what felt like an eternity Ron just laid on his bed with closed eyes and let his mind wander. His whole reason he had hold on for Romilda so long, has been that he wanted to prove to himself and everyone else that he had made the right choice with deciding for her and not Hermione. That Romilda was worth it. The first cheating he had forgiven for the same reason. God, he had been so stubborn. And dumb. And childish.

Lost in thought Ron startled when the door creaked open and Susan tiptoed in. He felt how she covered him with a blanket and he opened his eyes. Surprised Susan took a step back.

"I thought you were asleep?"

"Nah, can't get my mind to shut off."

"So, what's going on in there." Susan knocked on his forehead and sat down on the edge of his bed with unwavering confidence.

"Hermione," Ron sighed, but Susan only rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I heard that when you had your dramatic five minutes earlier. Want to specify that?"

"Urg, it's- Hermione ran away after I tried to tell her something but apparently I already told her four years ago and it didn't go well then. It's just really complicated."

"You tried to confess again, didn't you?" Susan raised an eyebrow that clearly said _what kind of idiot are you?_

"You knew about it? I thought no one knew?"

"You told me one evening after work when we got drunk, a few weeks after your breakup from Romilda, I think. I think it weighted on your conciseness and you wanted to get it off. But that's thousand years old history, why are you pondering over that?" Susan asked in a light, joking tone.

"I'm just... tired of discovering how messed up my life is and what an idiot I've been."

"Well," Susan carefully choose her words, "like I said last time you were challenging your whole life. Don't be too hard on yourself. You can still try to be a different person."

"Yeah, sounds good. It's just- forget it." Ron blushed and groaned at his own stupid thoughts.

"No, tell me." Susan smiled and for a change she wasn't teasing him but seemed genuinely concerned for him.

"It's just... Swear you will never tell anyone." She nodded.

"I just have the feeling that it's my fate to be miserably in love with Hermione for my whole life. Always unrequired and damned to be either her best friend or not in her life at all. And I don't know if I can do that. And I don't know if I can ever love someone like I love her. I hate that, I don't want that."

"But you already were in love with someone else. Maybe your feelings will change when you remember it."

"And what if not? When I remember this mysterious girl and I feel nothing for her? I was together with Romilda, thought I loved her, but in reality I was still pinning after Hermione. What if it was the same with the mysterious girl?" Susan bit on her lower lip nervously and shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe it's better to never remember this girl." Susan shook her head and stood up.

"Sleep and think about it when you're not longer so emotional." She bid him goodbye and left Ron once again alone with his racing mind and aching heart.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron woke up the next day with a decision. Quickly he dialled Hermione's number and hoped she would pick up.

 _"Ron?"_ Hermione's voice sounded tired and fortunately not angry.

"Hermione, I would like to apologise for yesterday and-"

 _"I don't think we should do that over the phone."_ She interrupted him quietly, sounding like Ron felt.

"I think so too. That's why I'm calling." He took a deep breath. "Mione, we need to talk but firstly I need some time to think about everything, clear my mind and sort my memories. If it's okay, I would like you to wait till I'm ready."

 _"I'm more than okay with that, Ron. I will wait."_ Hermione said relieved and Ron felt like a thousand pounds were pushed off his heart and lungs.

"Thank you. So.. bye." He concluded awkwardly.

 _"Bye."_ With a _beep_ the call was ended and Ron jumped up. He was eager to side-track himself and after a shower and a quick breakfast he walked down to the shop. Sunday was the only day when the shop was only opened from 10 to 12 o'clock and the twins offered brunch. The afternoon and the evening were closed, as well as the whole Monday, to give the twins and their employees free time.

"Morning," Ron greeted George, who was behind the bar. His older brother was grumbling a reply while he made a bunch of perfect coffees and handed them to Verity.

"Where is Susan? I thought she was going to take the shift for you?" Ron asked while he started to clean the counter. He wasn't scheduled to work today but he guesses help was always welcome. The shop was full and George appeared like a walking zombie.

"She was here but looked terrible. Has caught something, I sent her home."

The morning went by pretty fast as George and Ron were busy with preparing orders behind the bar and Verity almost ran to deliver everything. After they finally closed off, finished cleaning and waved Verity off, Ron sank down on one of the plush armchairs. George instead opted to lean against the counter with crossed arm. He eyed Ron like he was measuring him carefully and goose bumps ran down Ron's spine.

"Ron, I need your advice with something." George started, frightening calm. "See, I am in a tricky situation. I know something that I absolutely want to tell to the person whom it concerns, but if I do that it will probably cause a big fight. And I love both persons involved, I don't want to choose a side. So, what should I do? What would you do, Ron, when one of your brothers betrays another? When you stand between your older brother, your twin, and your younger brother and can't decide how to proceed?" George's eyes were dark and sad at the same time. Ron gulped. He had seen George in all kind of emotional turmoil. Overjoyed, happy and mischievous was his usual state. Concentrated and ambitious was also a common occurrence. Angry and sometime even aggressive during a soccer game or when a teacher had been unfair. Sad, grieving and distraught when Fred had been in the hospital. But disappointed was an expression that Ron had never seen on his older brother's face and the sight alone made his throat clench.

"I ran into Hermione yesterday before she went home. She was quite shaken up from your conversation and told me what happened." George's voice was icy. "Ron, I really don't care about your fight with Hermione. I'm not pleased with your behaviour but she was adamant that it wasn't my business and that you two would settle this down on your own. But what really make me boil is that you lied to Fred. You two had that damned agreement and you lied! You took Fred's chance."

"George," Ron swallowed hard. He hadn't thought about it himself yet, but it was obvious. His jealousy had made him lie to Fred, that was the real reason why he had never told anyone about his confession. He hadn't been mature enough to offer his brother the small possibility.

"Look, I don't care for your reasons or apologies, I just want one thing. Tell Fred. Tell him or I will do it. You have three days to sort yourself out or talk to Hermione or whatever. But after that I will tell Fred." Stonehard determination was engraved in George's eyes and Ron only nodded. He wasn't able to find words. But then George surprised Ron by walking and patted him on the shoulder.

"Okay, now let's go and get something to eat so that we can wake up the lazy lot upstairs." George smiled.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Hermione hung up the call from Ron and needed a moment to orientate herself. She was still half asleep and sprawled out on the sofa, Blaise laying awkwardly beside and on top of her, tight asleep.

"Blaise," she shook the tall man, "wake up. We fell asleep." Grunting Blaise blinked and then pulled Hermione closer. He was quite the cuddler, when he was either drunk or sleepy.

"God, wake up you giant, you're heavy." Hermione pushed him hard and with a groan Blaise rolled to the side, right over the edge of the sofa and fell to the floor.

"Is that what I get for cheering up your distressed arse, Granger?" Blaise huffed from the floor. "I can't wait for you to move out."

"Please, you're the one hiding my stuff so that I will have to come back all the time. Don't think I haven't noticed, Zabini." Hermione deadpanned. She let her eyes wander through the room, which showed the remainders of the last night.

There were opened snack boxes, popcorn, chips and sweets everywhere, beer bottles and two wine glasses occupied the table and used tissues were scattered everywhere. The TV had shut itself off during the night but the cases of all _Bridget Jones_ -DVD's still lay on the table. It was the perfect image of a leisure _Hermione's-and-Blaise's-guilty-pleasure-night_. Blaise had a guilty pleasure for romcoms, the more cliché the better. And Hermione, as the daughter of two dentists, had a guilty pleasure for unhealthy food. In combination with alcohol it was the perfect remedy against stress.

"God, I need to go to the gym immediately." Blaise groaned as he also eyed the room.

"Of course, god beware if your perfect eight pack would be ruined." Hermione snorted. "Breakfast at the _Leaky_ before you go and torture yourself?"

"Sounds like a plan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration for this chapter was In Between by Linkin Park. I just love this song. Please review!
> 
> Let me apologize to begin with
> 
> Let me apologize for what I'm about to say
> 
> But trying to be someone else was harder than it seemed
> 
> And somehow I got caught up in between
> 
> Between my pride and my promise
> 
> Between my lies and how the truth gets in the way
> 
> The things I want to say to you get lost before they come
> 
> The only thing that's worse than one is none


	12. The Three Days

"So, what exactly happened to Teddy's hair?" Hermione grinned as she watched the four-year-old playing with his plush wolf. The little boy had bright turquoise hair and Hermione felt her lips twitch as she saw Remus' defeated smile.

"Totally my fault," he sighed. "I should have known better than to leave my child alone with Sirius for more than an hour."

"Oi, Teddy just wanted to be like his mummy." Sirius walked in with the tea.

"So, you dyed his hair?" Hermione asked, almost unable to suppress her laughter.

"Don't be silly. It's not permanent, a few washes and he will be back to normal."

"What did Tonks say?" Harry laughed as he took a biscuit from the tray.

"Oh please, like my lovely cousin could ever be angry with me." Sirius grinned and Remus rolled his eyes.

"She took a bunch of photos and sent it to all of her colleagues. Right now, she is probably spending her workday searching for child-friendly hair dye on the Internet. I bet she will dye Teddy's and her own hair to match." Harry and Hermione snorted into their tea. That was actually something Tonks, who loved to dye her own hair in bright colours, would do and of course, a small boy like Teddy would want that too.

Every time Hermione visited London she spent at least one afternoon with Remus, Sirius, Teddy and Tonks. Sirius, as full-time heir and bachelor, was, of course, available almost every time and Remus, who was working as a teacher in London since he had married Tonks, was mostly free in the afternoons when he picked Teddy up from the kindergarten. Tonks was the only one with less time at hand since she worked as an inspector at the _metropolitan police service_.

"So, you're moving back to London, Hermione?" Remus asked and Sirius instantly began to pout.

"Does that mean I have to give Crookshanks back?" The black-haired man whined.

When Hermione's parents had moved to Australia to fulfil their lifelong dream, Hermione had shortly thought about taking her beloved cat with her to Paris. But Crookshanks reluctance to enter the damn basket made it clear that there was no way the stubborn beast would be happy with the long travel. Plus, Hermione often needed to travel between Paris, London and Australia, so a permanent solution was in order. That's when Sirius had surprised everyone with not only offering to take the cat, Crookshanks also seemed to love the man. The same cat that hated everyone besides the Grangers and often hissed at or scratched Hermione's friends, was a sweet, cuddly kitten in the arms of Sirius Black.

Hermione looked down on her lap where Crookshanks was sleeping and purring, like every time she visited.

"Don't worry, I don't think I will ever find a flat in London where I'm allowed to keep him. Every flat I visited till now had a strict no-pets-rule."

"Well, there is a free flat in my apartment house. It's freshly renovated and I was going to hire an estate agent next week. If you want it, it would save me time and work."

"Sirius, that would be wonderful." Hermione blinked surprised. She had wanted to ask the Black heir for help but she hadn't expected to get an offer right away.

"Plus, I live in the same house so we can share custody over Crooks." He grinned.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Hermione was packing her last box of stuff when it knocked on the door.

"BLAISE!" She yelled, as she was caged between boxes and suitcases, and heard how he sprinted for the door. Thanks to Sirius help she could move into a nice two-room-apartment for a ridiculous amount of rent immediately. Most of her stuff was still packed from the move from Paris to London, but still, it was messy and a lot to carry. So, Hermione had asked Harry and Ginny for help. Neville was unfortunately not able to come, but maybe Draco would jump in later.

"Oi, Mione, how many of these are filled with books? You want us to break our backs?" Harry walked in with a fat grin, eyeing the high-piled boxes. Ginny was right behind him, stalking between the mess to hug Hermione.

"Granger," George stopped in the doorway.

"We heard you need help?" Fred leaned against the doorframe right beside his twin. They both grinned down at Hermione and her heart made a small jump. Partly because of seeing Fred, partly because she tried to detect if George had already blabbed about their last conversation.

"Thank you all for coming, guys." Hermione grinned at her friends as Blaise peaked to her behind the twins, waggling his eyebrows. She suppressed an eye-roll and started to give everyone orders which boxes should be carried down first, which had breakable stuff and where to place everything in the transporter. Everyone, of course, sniggered at her detailed planning but at the end of the day, they were more than glad about it. The planning had saved them not only time but also strength since Hermione had packed smartly.

"Finally," George sighed. "Say, Granger, do you even have room for furniture after you unpack those books?"

"Or are you just stacking them to have something to sit on?" Fred grinned. The twins sank down to the floor, while Blaise and Harry brought in the last boxes. Ginny meanwhile ordered a bunch of pizzas over the phone.

"Very funny," she rolled her eyes as she inspected if all boxes were in the right room. She had almost no furniture right now, only a bed that needed to be build up before the night. Some serious shopping was due in the next days but Blaise and Ginny had already offered themselves as company and aide. Carefully Hermione opened a box which she hoped contained the prepared clothes for the next days but instead found her old ball dresses. She touched the periwinkle-blue material of one dress.

"Pizza is here." Fred appeared beside her. "Oh wow, haven't seen that for a while." He nodded at the dress and Hermione hastily pushed it back and closed the box. With a blush, she remembered that ball.

_The Yule Ball was an annual tradition at Hogwarts that happened at the last weekend before everyone went home for the holidays. How the students regarded the balls changed dramatically the older they got. The first and second years tended to go in groups as friends as they were too shy to ask someone out or simply not interested in dating yet. Hermione, Harry and Ron had gone as friends till their third year, but at their fourth year, the mood dramatically changed. Suddenly everyone wanted a date and not having one made someone, especially girls, a target for mockery. Harry and Ron too were crazy with finding a date but Ron also made some mean comments about Hermione going alone. Just that she wasn't going alone since one of the exchange students, the popular Viktor Krum of all people had asked her._

_Eventually, Ron had ruined her night by telling her off for dating someone so much older than her, even if there wasn't something going on between her and Viktor yet. Still, the evening ended with Hermione crying in a corner near the common room where she believed herself safe from curious eyes and ears. That's were Fred found her._

_"Granger, what's wrong?" He asked with wide eyes._

_"Ron embarrassed me in front of the whole school, just wait till tomorrow. I'm sure you will hear all about it." She hiccupped. "And he also sabotaged my first kiss." She added quietly._

_"Ahhh yeah, Ron is pretty good at fucking things up. Don't worry, tomorrow he will be unfathomable sorry and apologise to you."_

_"Well, he can try to but he ruined my night so I will let him stew in hell." Hermione wiped her last tears away and tried to smile at Fred. She had always liked the twins, despite their pranks, but it was different just talking to one of them and being comforted made it even weirder._

_"So, you wanted to snog Krum?" Fred inquired with a quirk of his lips._

_"Not snog," Hermione protested with a blush. "And not necessarily Viktor. I just hoped... I don't know. I thought I looked nice today and hoped that some boys would finally recognise I'm a girl too. Your idiotic brother seems to think that I'm one of the guys."_ _She sniffed. Hermione wanted in no case to be like Lavender or Parvati, who swooned over boys all day and spent all their time with styling their hair, but she was still a girl and when she made an effort she wanted it to be acknowledged._

_"Well, I wouldn't worry about that." Fred grinned at her and then suddenly he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. It was a short, soft kiss and over before Hermione could even react. With wide eyes, she stared at Fred, who chuckled._

_"You look very beautiful, Hermione." He winked and pulled her up, accompanying her back to the dorms. That was the day Hermione started to see Fred in a new light, no longer as_ Fred-and-George. _It wasn't quite a crush but she became aware of him._

"That dress is my favourite." Fred winked at her as they left the boxed filled bedroom and Hermione was glad that she was walking behind him as she felt her face heat up. Carefully she sat down beside Ginny, but from the corner of her eyes, she saw Blaise and George eye her curiously. Damn it, those two would be her doom.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Something fishy was going and Fred would eventually find out what it was. Ever since the party George and Ron both behaved suspiciously. Either they were ignoring each other or whispering conspicuously in a corner.

And not only those two were behaving weird, but Susan was also odd. The redhead, normally a bundle of joy and happiness and therefore perfect employee, was acting odd. Since George had sent her home sick the last Sunday she had come back to work but it was clear that she wasn't actually good. Her usual smile was missing and she seemed exhausted.

"Bones, come here for a minute," Fred called through the café.

"Are you okay? You can take a few more days off if you're still not feeling well, you know?" He asked when she stood in front of him. She appeared tired, her eyes had dark rings, and her skin was pale. She was either badly sick or worrying about something.

"Nah, I'm okay. It's just the stress because the term is ending soon." Susan waved at her face. "I pulled a few all-nighters and only need a bit of sleep. Don't worry."

"Well, then go home and sleep. It's a slow day anyway and you're scaring our guests." Fred teased and Susan gave a weak smile. She was clearly not okay but Fred wasn't going to force an answer out of her. They were friends to some extent but not close enough for that. Ron would be a better fit but the git was also taking a day off to sort his mind.

It took another five minutes till Fred finally managed to shoo Susan out of the shop, and hopefully right into her bed when Ginny and Hermione came in.

"Freddie, two double extra strong espressos." His little sister ordered with a grin while Hermione sank down on a bar stool and immediately dropped her head to the counter.

"What did you do with my favourite bookworm, Ginny? She looks broken." Fred teased while he handled the coffee machine.

"We went shopping." Ginny shrugged. "You may remember that our lovely Mione is in desperate need of furniture to fill her new flat."

"And that's that exhausting." With a chuckle, he planted the cups in front of the girls and then presented them with two slices of their fresh made strawberry cake.

"You're an angel," Hermione sighed around her fork. "And your sister is the devil. She forced me to visit every furniture shop in London before she allowed me to buy anything. All I wanted was a few simple bookshelves, a desk and a nice sofa. But Ginny here insisted that everything needed to be perfectly matched. Even Blaise gave up after the fifth store."

"He's a wimp." Ginny shrugged, gulping down the espresso. The scene reminded Fred of all the other times when Hermione and Ginny had been at the shop together. But one memory, his favourite one, pushed itself into his mind.

_It was December 2013 and two days till New Year. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was bursting with people who wanted to try the new Christmas cocktails on their menu. Fred was behind the bar this evening when Hermione and Ginny entered._

_"Granger, here to scold us about selling alcohol?" He teased her when she ordered a drink, while Ginny strolled off to find the loo._

_"I only scolded you because you two were brewing it illegally in unused classrooms and sold it to underage children." Hermione stuck her tongue out to him and sipped happily on her cocktail._

_"Mhhhh, that's fantastic."_

_"I aim to please," he winked at her and saw how she blushed deeply. He loved it when he managed to do that. Fred had admitted that he had a thing for Hermione sometime during his final year at Hogwarts. Fighting with her because of his rule-breaking and pranks had been fun and she did look sexy as hell when she was angry. But he had never made his move because he suspected her to have a crush on Ron._

_"So, what brings you and my underaged sister into our fine establishment?"_

_"Ginny and I are visiting Fleur's sister Gabrielle at Paris. Ginny is sleeping over at my house tonight and tomorrow morning we will take the plane."_

_"What? I thought you were visiting the Burrow over New Year with Harry?" Fred was puzzled. At Christmas a few days ago, his mother had told him about it._

_"That was the plan-" Hermione carefully took another sip, "-but then Ron asked me if I could be engaged elsewhere so that he could invite Lavender over. Since your mother is strict about that no-boys-and-girls-sleeping-in-the-same-room-rule and there is no free other room beside Ginny's..." Her voice trailed off but a slight twitch of her lips showed her anger._

_"And so, you decided not only to have a better time without my idiotic brother, but you also saved Ginny from sharing a room with his girlfriend."_

_"Well, Gabrielle invited us both." Hermione grinned._

_"Drinks on the house, Granger." He laughed and handed Ginny a cocktail when she came back. For the rest of the evening, the girl sat at the bar, chatted and entertained Fred when there was nothing to do. In turn, he mixed them his best cocktails, but only added very little alcohol. Ginny was still underaged and he suspected that Hermione wouldn't want to have a hangover even if she was legally allowed to have one._

_It was a really fun evening till some drunk idiot splashed his beer over Hermione's blouse, soaking her all over. A series of colourful curses escaped Miss-Prim-and-Proper and Fred almost forgot to help because he laughed so hard._

_"Come on, Granger, I will give you some clothes. Ginny, could you get George?" Fred showed Hermione the way to the flat and vanished for a few minutes into his room. When he came back he found her in the bathroom, washing a few strands of her hair._

_"Here, you can bring it back anytime." He handed her one of his shirts and Hermione vanished behind the closed doors. When she emerged Fred almost stopped breathing. He liked how she looked in his cloth. All small and tiny and cute and and and... There was an awkward silence as he stared at her and Hermione obviously didn't know what to do._

_"Erm, let's go back." He suggested and opened the door for her. Smooth Fred, really smooth, he scolded himself. He was such an idiot._

"I wouldn't count on Blaise to help with the build-up. I'm sure all these muscles are just for show at him." Fred snapped out of his memory at Ginny's laugh.

"I can help." Fred suddenly suggested and he saw how Ginny's and Hermione's heads snapped to him in surprise. They both stared at him in confusion.

"When I moved in you hid the screws for a laugh and didn't lift a finger to help me." Ginny scowled.

"Yeah, but you didn't calm mum down when she discovered that George and I opened the shop instead of going to university." Fred grinned at Hermione. "For that, we are forever in her debt." Hermione cringed. That had been a stressful afternoon.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

The next day found Hermione sitting in her living room with Fred and, thank God, George. She had no idea what she would have done had she been alone with Fred for the whole day. The twins were unpacking her new bookshelves and studied the manual, while Hermione started to unpack the boxes with her kitchen supplies. She watched the twins goof around through the hatch between the kitchen and living room and felt oddly remembered of their school days.

_After the kiss on the cheek at the Yule Ball Hermione has become oddly shy around Fred. She couldn't place this feeling, plus Viktor Krum served as another distraction. The Bulgarian exchange student was nice and attentive, he spent time with her in the library and was never pushy. Viktor never tried to push beyond her boundaries or persuade her to do something she didn't want. She did get her first kiss from him, sometimes they even snogged and she found that Viktor was really tender with her. But at the end of the year, they both decided to stay pen pals instead of a couple._

_OOO_

_All Weasley children, Harry and Hermione were invited to spend the summer after that year at Sirius family home at Grimmauld Place. It was partly a trick so that the Dursleys couldn't oppose Harry seeing Sirius when they thought he was with Ron. Plus, Molly and Arthur were away for a second honeymoon and Sirius and Remus had offered to take care of the children._

_"Granger!" Two grinning twins jumped down the staircases and looped Hermione into a hug._

_"Wonderful to see you-" George threw his arm on her shoulder while Fred's arm rested on her waist._

_"-and excellent timing," Fred whispered conspiratorially. Then she heard stomping and Ron bolted down, his face an angry red and his hair a deep black._

_"YOU TWO!" He yelled but stopped when he saw Hermione. Involuntarily she started to laugh as she felt how the twins sought refuge behind her back._

_"You better hope this will wash out." She scolded but Fred's arm on her waist was quite distracting._

_OOO_

_During the summer Hermione could be often found in the old Black library while the twins incidentally where there to work on their business plan. On one evening Fred flopped down beside her on the old sofa._

_"So, Granger, any suggestions?" He grinned casually._

_"What?" Hermione spluttered and blushed._

_"Any book you can recommend? You spent so much time in here I figured you know it inside out." A lazy smirk danced on his lips and Hermione felt terribly embarrassed. Damn, why was she so awkward around Fred._

_"Well, maybe a few of the ancient cookbooks are interesting? And I think I saw a book titled_ The Fine Art Of Cocktail Mixing. _" She blushed even more as Fred raised an amused eyebrow._

_"I will look at it." He winked. Damn. Why. Was. She. So. Awkward. Around. Him?_

_OOO_

_"YOU TWO!" Hermione stormed into the common room, waving a flyer. "Are you completely insane?"_

_"Of course we are-"_

_"-why do you even ask?_

_"You're advertising your illegal parties? You can't do that!"_

_"Why not?" Fred crinkled his nose._

_"Because you're selling alcohol to underage children. You could be expelled."_

_"Ah, don't worry, we don't care about that." George waved her argument away and snatched the flyer from her hand_

_OOO_

_"GRANGER!" Fred and George ran after her as she stalked off with their whole stack of alcohol and party flyers._

_"What the hell are you doing?" George tried to grab the box with the liquor bottles._

_"I'm going to throw a party." She spat sarcastically. "What does it look like? I'm confiscating your illegal alcohol and I'm putting an end to your parties."_

_"Why the hell would you do that?" Fred asked flabbergasted and Hermione felt how the whole room was looking at her. Everyone loved the twins and their parties and she knew it wouldn't make her popular to hinder them._

_"Because you're selling alcohol to underage children. It's against school rules and it's against the law."_

_"Good God, Granger," George groaned. "Do us all a favour, come to one of our parties and get drunk. Let your hair down. Relax a bit."_

_"I don't need to relax!" Hermione snapped and stormed off. For the rest of the year, Hermione and the twins carefully avoided each other. She knew their parties were still going on but she didn't catch them anymore. And she still had that awkward, dumb shyness and in a way, she was relieved to know that Fred was graduating. Because no matter how smart Hermione was, at that time she just couldn't understand what was wrong with her._

_OOO_

_"You know, that really is extraordinary." She said to Ginny, who also marvelled at the colourful products._

_"For that, Hermione," said a voice behind them, "you can have one for free." Fred joined them and handed Hermione one of the bubble bath products she had complimented._

_"Thank you," she whispered and felt herself blush when Fred winked at her._

Hermione blushed as she remembered their constant fighting and bickering. The sixteen-year-old Hermione would have never believed that the twins would one day sit in her flat peacefully and built her furniture for her. Nor would she have believed that she would fall in love with Fred one day. It had taken her an awfully long time to acknowledge it herself, to admit it. If she had been a bit smarter it would have saved her so much grief. It would have saved her that pointless affair with Cormac McLaggan, who admittedly was smoking hot and a bloody good shag, but in the end not worth the time.

"You're staring." Hermione jumped at the voice of George right beside her. He had such a fat smirk on his face that she was itching to wipe it off his face.

"Don't know what you're talking about. How is it going?" She lied easily and threw a last look at Fred, who was working on her sofa table.

"You know, I will never understand why you rejected him when you're clearly so into him." For a minute Hermione and George fought out a silent battle, then she averted her gaze.

"I haven't told him yet. The thing about Ron." George tilted his head. "That's the second secret I've ever had from Fred. Funny, that both secrets have something to do with you. I also never told him that you were at the hospital." George looked like he had a thousand questions and Hermione didn't like that he was slowly transforming into Blaise. Entirely too curious and interested in her feelings for Fred.

"Well, I never said that you should keep that a secret." Hermione busied herself with placing plates into the cupboard.

"Oh, of course, I could have told my heavy wounded twin that the girl who broke his heart came to the hospital while he was asleep and cried because of him. That wouldn't have confused him at all."

"Look, George, I don't know what you want to hear and frankly I don't think it is your business." George snorted a sarcastic laugh.

"Yeah, try to tell that to yourself, Granger." He shook his head and left to help Fred.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Fred was browsing through his wardrobe when he found an old shirt. It wasn't used or shabby, but he hadn't worn it till the day Hermione had rejected him. Had banned it into the deepest corner and never looked at it again. He had never been angry at her for rejecting him, but this thing he just couldn't look at. It was the shirt he had lendt her.

_Fred opened the door and looked at Hermione, smiling at him shyly with a bag in her hand._

_"Uhm, I'm here to return your shirt. I washed it of course and here is a thank you gift and I think I will go now." Hermione rambled on and on and tried to hand Fred the bag._

_"Come in for a moment," he pulled her into the flat. "I just cooked dinner. Do you want something? It's just pasta, but I swear it's good." Fred walked off to the kitchen, hoping that Hermione would follow him. And thankfully she did. It only took two more requests for her to stay and eat with him till she gave in. Fred could have jumped from joy as she sat down with him and they managed to hold a normal conversation._

_"So, how was Paris? The pictures on Ginny's Instagram looked like fun."_

_"It was fun. Gabrielle showed us the most amazing places. I think I've fallen in love with a city if that is even possible." Hermione's eyes sparkled and Fred fell for her even deeper. If George had been there, he would have taken the mickey out of his smitten twin. They talked about Hermione's trip, the shop and her last school year and somehow they ended on his sofa with a bottle of wine._

_Fred watched how Hermione talked about some museum they had visited in Paris, how she smiled and was so enthusiastic. And without thinking much about it he leaned forward, placed one hand on her cheek and then kissed her lightly. He kissed her like he wanted to since he had kissed her cheek on the yule ball three years ago. It was a short kiss and featherlight. He didn't even give Hermione time to react. He pulled back and looked at her wide eyes and her blushing cheeks and suddenly she was kissing him. Fred's lips curled into a smirk on their own as he kissed Hermione back, as he felt her hands on his shoulders and he buried his fingers in her hair. For a small eternity, there was nothing in his mind but the warmth and the taste of her lips._

_"Hermione," he tenderly pulled back. "Will you go on a date with me?"_

_"I have to go back to school tomorrow. And I'm staying there over the spring holidays, to learn for the finals." Hermione answered, biting her lips sheepishly._

_"No problem, I will wait. How about after your graduation?" Fred asked and hoped that he didn't sound too desperate, but he worried without reason. Hermione nodded with the sweetest smile and seconds later they were kissing again._

Fred snapped out of his memory when someone knocked on his bedroom door. Slowly the door opened and Ron walked in, a nervous expression on his face and a piece of paper in his hands.

"Fred, we need to talk."


	13. The Waiting

Ron was incredibly nervous as he tried to remember everything he wanted to say to Fred. He needed to do it right, to say it right.

The last three days Ron had worked on sorting his mind. He had written everything down he remembered from his lost four years and brought it into the right order. He knew there were still pieces missing but with his crib sheet in hand, he felt more confident. To assure himself he read the list the last time.

_**2014** _

_**March:** _ _Picnic at the lake, the last thing I remembered when I woke up at the hospital._

_**April:** _ _Break-up from Lavender. Still, no idea why... (maybe meet with her?)_

_**May:** _ _Fred and Percy have a car accident on May the second. Middle of May, gentleman's agreement with Fred when I visited him at the hospital._

_**June:** _ _Finals party and Harry and Ginny get together. Got pissed drunk and embarrassed myself in front of Hermione... Late June: Graduation._

_**July:** _ _Hermione's farewell party at the beginning of the month. Stupid, dumb, idiotic fight about my confession! End of July: Moving into Grimmauld Place with Harry._

_**August:** _ _Fred is released from the hospital, lied to him at the party that I didn't confess!_

_**October:** _ _Moving into the flat above the twins with Harry. Started to work at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes._

_**December:** _ _George invents butterbeer for Angelina. Sappy git._

_**2015** _

_**February:** _ _First meeting with Romilda in Hogsmeade. Well, she seemed nice back then. Casual dates and texting in the following months._

_**May:** _ _Officially starting to date Romilda. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER!_

_**July:** _ _Welcome Back party for Hermione. Passive-aggressive bitching from Romilda. I was definitely still in love with Hermione. Romilda wants me to break contact with Hermione._

_**August:** _ _BIG fight with Hermione! Two days later she moves to Paris and we don't speak for almost three years..._

_**2016** _

_**November:** _ _Caught Romilda and Adrian kiss, big fight afterwards! (Should have broken up right away)_

_**December:** _ _Susan safes my arse at the faculty party where I was pissed drunk. (Maybe I should thank her again)_

_**2017** _

_**January:** _ _Susan starts to work at WWW. Best co-worker ever._

_**June:** _ _Caught Romilda and Adrian fucking at her flat. First attempt to break-up but Romilda was bloody persistent! Tried to get me to forgive her._

_**July:** _ _Finally able to break-up with that bitch. Enjoying single life afterwards._

_**December:** _ _One-night-stand with Pansy after a party. Starting a friendship with benefits with her later. Not sure when and how it ended._

_**2018** _

_**January:** _ _Starting to change my behaviour because of the mysterious girl?! Talked with Susan about her regularly. Still not able to remember..._

_**March:** _ _Woke up at the hospital._

Ron looked at the resume of the past years of his life with mixed feelings. He had behaved like an arse in the last years and had made many mistakes but he also managed to maintain most of his closest friendships. He even gained new ones like Susan and all in all his life wasn't that bad. But his mistakes weighed heavy on his shoulders and with a last deep breath, he knocked on the door to Fred's room.

"Fred, we need to talk." Ron entered the room and sat down on the bed. The piece of paper crinkled in his hands.

"What's going on?" Fred asked confused. He had a shirt in his hands and the tips of his ears were red. But Ron pushed this discovery aside and concentrated on his little speech.

"Erm, I wanted to confess to Hermione at the party but before I had the chance she interrupted me. Apparently, I already confessed to her four years ago." Ron rambled before he forced himself to take a break, to take a breath. Fred only blinked curiously and so Ron took the chance to explain the whole story.

He told his older brother how he had tried to confess multiple times and never got the right moment. He told Fred about the finals party and his brother even laughed at that. Then he told him about the _farewell party_ and his confession to Hermione. Ron recounted the stupid fight and how Hermione had stormed off. And then he spoke the words he dreaded the most.

"I didn't tell you, I even lied to you, because I couldn't stand the thought of you and Hermione together. I was absolutely sure that she would like you better than me, that you two would become a couple. And I wasn't able to cope with that." Ron gulped and waited for a response. He waited for Fred to flip, to lash out, to get angry, furious even. But nothing happened. Fred only stared silently at Ron, a blank expression on his face.

"I know it was stupid and childish and I shouldn't have lied to you. I know I betrayed your trust and our agreement and- and- and... Could you please say something? Scream at me?" Ron pleaded. The cold indifference scared him more than hot anger ever could. Fred was an emotional person, had the famous Weasley temper like Ron himself. Ron had expected everything from shouting to a physical fight, but this calmness was odd, scary even. It was the calm before the storm.

"Ron, I have no idea what to say. I think it's best you leave now. I have to think about what you just told me." Fred sighed, his eyes distant like he was already lost in his own thoughts. Silently Ron left the room and sneaked out to the living room.

"Didn't go well, huh?" George sat on the sofa, laptop in front of him and his brows raised questioning.

"Not sure. I think he's angry but he's also deadly calm and perhaps I should sleep with one eye open." Ron sighed. He hadn't expected this to be easy but actually doing it was hard.

"Well, you will have to wait. Sooner or later Fred will tell you exactly what he thinks. Or maybe show you. I hope he tells me beforehand, I want front row seats." George snickered.

"Oh, thank you for taking this so seriously."

"Come on, Ron. You're brothers and I know Fred won't be angry with you forever. He will maybe sock you one and I would be careful what you eat in the next weeks, but it won't be forever. Fred isn't one who holds grudged. And remember, he gave up on Hermione because he didn't want it to come between you and him. You're important to him."

"Yeah, thank you, now I have a guilty conscious all over again." Ron's heart sank. Damn Hermione. If she had never rejected Fred back then, all would have been different.

"Well, I will leave him to you for now."

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron's next shift at the shop didn't start promising. Normally Ron worked the morning shift with Fred but his brother had not shown up and George was taking his place. George had shown up with a frown on his face and a shrug that said _Don't ask_ and started to work immediately.

"Where is Susan?"

"Called in sick. Fred sent her home the other day and since then she hasn't been in." George shrugged. "Seems to be a nasty flu." Silently they continued working and Ron found that he missed Susan Bones, a girl that he barely knew thanks to his missing memories. He remembered snippets, small and fractured.

He remembered her carrying him home drunk and he remembered working with her, joking with her, drinking with her. He remembered trusting Susan, talking to her for hours and spending time together just studying in silence. But all of it was blurry and far away like he couldn't get the focus right to zoom in into these memories. Like trying to see through a fogged window.

The morning went by painfully slowly and when Ron's shift finally was over he had no idea what to do. The last days had been filled with solving the puzzle of his memories, headaches and meeting people. But now it seemed like everything was done and he had nothing else to do than to wait for Fred's response. Well, he did need to talk to Hermione but he had decided to wait till everything was solved with Fred first. Somehow he had the feeling that he owed it to his brother.

After thinking about it for a while Ron decided on his plan for the afternoon and packed a bunch of sandwiches and cake from the shop and left.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

"Ron?" Susan stared at him in utter confusion and slowly a dark deep blush spread over her neck and face. She was only wearing a pyjama, black with small hearts and stars, and her hair was in a messy bun.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked and carefully folded her arms in front of her chest.

"I brought something to eat for my favourite co-worker." It sounded more like a question and for a moment Ron wavered if this had been a good idea. Maybe visiting when Susan was sick wasn't something he would do normally. Maybe he was crossing a line. He exhaled relieved when Susan opened the door and waved him in.

"Make yourself comfortable and just need to..." Susan gestured at her clothes and vanished in a room.

Carefully Ron walked into the small living room with an open kitchen and sat down. He had the feeling of not being here for the first time. The small apartment felt familiar and homey like he had spent a lot of time here in the past. He let his eyes wander.

It was a small flat, but cosy and colourful. Everywhere were pictures on the walls. Pictures of friends and family, but also posters from movies and concerts and postcards. Some were framed, others were just taped down. It was a mix and fit Susan's lively personality perfectly.

Without thinking about it Ron stood up and pulled plates, cutlery and drinks out and laid the living room table. When Susan came back she stopped in the middle of the room and stared at his work.

"How..." Susan was now wearing a comfy legging, a big, dark-blue sweater and her hair was combed and in a neat ponytail.

"Kind of remembering where everything is. Did I spend some time here? Studying?"

"Yeah, we usually study here because it's quieter than your flat or the shop. And we both hate sitting at the library." Susan explained slowly and then finally sat down beside Ron.

"So, what did you nick for me?"

"Oi, I don't like what you're insinuating, Bones."

"Oh please, as you would ever pay for something from the twins' shop." Susan snorted and grabbed a sandwich with pesto, cheese and tomatoes. Ron vaguely remembered that she liked those best and was glad that he had brought quite a few. It seemed like his subconscious was helping him out quite a bit today.

"So, how are you?" He asked and Susan started to explain how stressed she was with learning for the end of the term exams.

"You know, that's your fault. It's terribly exhausting to learn alone and I have quite the problem to motivate myself on my own." Susan mumbled with a full mouth.

"I can test you." Ron offered and grabbed the record cards from the table.

"Blimey," he laughed, "those look exactly like the ones Hermione always made at school." The cards were covered with neat descriptions, everything was colour coded and underlined.

"I wouldn't laugh so loud if I were you. You were the one who taught me how to learn with those. And it works." Susan teased.

They spent the rest of the afternoon learning for Susan's exams and Ron was glad that his doctor's certificate spared him from that torture. His memories from university and all the things he had learned in the last years were slow to come back. Nonetheless, he enjoyed asking Susan questions about the material.

As it got later and darker they decided to order some food and watch a movie on Netflix. They decided for Thai food, apparently, Susan loved it and Ron decided that he didn't hate it anymore contrary to four years ago.

"There is a new Star Wars movie?" Ron almost choked on his rice.

"God, we have so much to make up for." Susan grinned. "In some way, it's kind of cool. You can experience all the good things in the last years all over again. Movies, music, food, books. Oh, and we can monitor if you react differently than before. A social experiment." Now she was almost jumping on her seat.

"Let's see what you think of the new Star Wars movie." Humming Susan started the film and sank back on the sofa, snuggled into a plush quilt.

"That was rubbish." Ron stared at the screen as the last credits vanished. "How could they do that? I mean- they killed- that's..." While he searched for the right words Susan broke out into a fit of laughter.

"You said the exact same thing the last time." She accidentally leaned onto Ron to steady herself as she tried to calm down.

"So, what does that mean for your experiment?"

"It means you didn't change that much, even without your memories." For some reason, Susan seemed pretty happy with that discovery and on a whim, Ron did something he had never expected himself. He kissed her.

Ron Weasley kissed Susan Bones and it felt incredibly good. Her lips were perfectly soft and warm. She tasted like spicy curry and smelled clean, like soap and freshly washed cloth. As he touched her face to pull her closer, he discovered how soft and nice her skin felt. Her hair was tickling the back of his hand. It was such a perfect kiss, perfect because Susan kissed him back almost instantly. There was no hesitation in her actions, and then she pulled back.

"Ron..." She blinked confused. "Why did you do that?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to?" He blushed. He actually didn't know. But it felt so good, so _right_ , that he wasn't keen on questioning it. A repeat was more of his taste.

"What's with Hermione? You said, you still love her." Susan narrowed her eyes at him and Ron knew he was in trouble.

"I- I- I'm trying to get over her." At this Susan jumped up and took two large steps away from him

"Well, I refuse to be your rebound girl," her voice was shaking with anger. "And since you forget constantly I want to remind you, that there is still another girl. A girl you definitely liked. You can't kiss me just because you wanted to! I'm not one of your flings. One of your quick shags! I thought we were friends. I thought you would never do that to me."

"Su..." Ron stood up, trying to get closer to her. He hadn't wanted to hurt her.

"You better go now. I have to study." She opened the door and with a defeated sigh Ron took his things and left. For the second time this day he was thrown out by someone who was important to him.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Fred was laying on his bed, stared at the ceiling and replayed Ron's speech over and over again in his head. Over and over he heard those words, tried to bring it into context. Tried to remember how things had been four years ago. But all he remembered was the day Hermione had _broken-up_ , no that wasn't the right word, _rejected_ wasn't either. She had just stopped whatever had begun between them.

_When Fred saw Hermione enter the shop during the spring holidays he was overjoyed. He hadn't expected to see her since her finals were in a little over a month. So his heart made a little jump when she walked up to him with a shy smile._

_"Hermione," he hugged her fiercely and saw her blushing a deep red. A soft chuckle escaped him._

_"Hey," she bit her lip nervously and Fred pulled her with him._

_"George, I'm taking a break!" He called into the back room and then vanished with Hermione to his flat. They hadn't seen each other since the winter break. He had missed her more than he had anticipated and as soon as they entered the flat he kissed her. For a few delicious moments she kissed him back, humming softly, but then she pulled back and stared up to him with wide eyes._

_"Fred," she whispered. "We need to talk." Gingerly she sat down and bit her lip again. Fred's stomach clenched at the words. He knew exactly what she wanted to say._

_"You're calling it quits." He stated and her face alone told him everything. "But why now? I thought we would wait till after your graduation and then see? I thought we were good. We phoned, we texted, we even send letters..." He felt overrun by her sudden decision and desperately searched for an explanation._

_"I know," Hermione buried her face in her hands. Then she started to explain how she had applied for a volunteer position in Romania and didn't want him to wait. Didn't want a long-distance relationship either. She bit her lip again and her eyes watered visibly._

_"Hey," he sat down beside her and hugged her. "Why are you crying? I should be the one wailing desperately since you're breaking my heart." He joked lightly and felt how she buried her face into his shirt._

_"I think I'm breaking both our hearts right now." She snuffled miserably and a few tears escaped her. Fred couldn't help himself as he leaned down and kissed her again, softly. It was a salty kiss, a longing kiss, and Hermione looked at him confused when he pulled back._

_"It's okay, love. It's just bad timing." Fred soothed her and pulled her closer. For an hour or so they shared more kisses and cuddled on his sofa, both not quite ready to leave yet. Fred wanted nothing more than to argue with her, to bargain for a chance. But that wouldn't be fair. She wanted this volunteer year, it was her dream. He couldn't expect her to give that up for one date. So he accepted it and hoped deep down that he would get his chance when she came back from Romania._

Fred remembered vividly that he had phoned with Ginny the next day, who was alone at their parents' home and bored. She had told him about Ron's break-up from Lavender a week ago. And he remembered the cold feeling in his chest, that told him this was the real reason Hermione had stopped everything between them. That maybe she was in love with Ron and now wanted to take her chance since he was single again.

That was the reason he had made the agreement with Ron instead of chasing after Hermione himself.

Groaning Fred got up and went to get himself a glass of water. In the kitchen, he met George, who was cooking something that smelled like dinner and his favourite food, pasta with meatballs.

"How are you?" His twin asked while setting the table.

"Confused." He searched through the fridge for a bottle of cold water.

"Not in the mood for fratricide?"

"Nah," Fred gulped down the whole glass in one go and refilled it.

"You know, I expected you to be angry, murderous. But you being so calm is even scarier."

"I am angry, just not at Ron."

"Huh?"

"I'm angry at Hermione."

"That doesn't make any sense." George frowned and put the food on the table.

"I know, I know. I can't explain it myself, it's just-" Fred sat down. "I was okay thinking she would end up with Ron. It was okay because I had a good explanation of why we didn't even get a chance. I mean, even after she came back from Romania she never made a move. And then she moved to Paris and... it's like she wanted to get away. Never wanted to give us a chance. And as long as I thought the reason was Ron... it was okay. Now I have to rethink that."

"Hmm, okay I get that but how are you not angry at Ron? He betrayed your stupid agreement and lied." George offered the sauce and Fred handed his twins the noodles.

"Yeah... but I was angry at Ron so much these last years, I simply don't have the energy anymore. I was angry when he got together with Romilda because I knew the git was still in love with Hermione. I was angry when he fought with her and chased her away. And I kind of get it. I get why he did it and I appreciate his confession."

"So, no revenge pranking?"

"Don't be ridiculous. We will prank the shit out of him." Both twins smirked at each other with a mischievous gleam in their eyes.


	14. The Reconciliation

Ron was pretty sure that someone up there in heaven or down in hell hated him with a burning passion.

His night had been terrible. He had dreamed of Fred, Hermione and Susan, all three yelling at him - hating him - for his actions and tearing him apart. Dream Fred had chased him around the Burrow, calling him a liar. Dream Hermione had told all his friends what he had done. And Dream Susan had only looked at him with cold eyes, saying _I don't believe you_ over and over again.

Ron woke up drenched in cold sweat the next morning and went for a quick shower before his shift.

While trying to calm himself down under the warm water, he thought about Susan. He still wasn't sure why he had kissed her so suddenly, but he didn't think it was a mistake. He really, really had wanted to and it felt good. But he had to admit that Susan's reaction was understandable. The last days - well, probably the last years of their friendship - he had spent telling her about other girls and treated her like a normal friend, as one of the guys, not like a girl. Good god, he actually had told her that he was still in love with Hermione and a few days later he kissed Susan. So maybe his sudden kiss was a bit strange. But she had kissed back and quite enthusiastic. And that little fact made Ron's heart flutter.

When Ron emerged from the shower he quickly jumped into his work clothes and made his way down to the shop. No time for breakfast and he only styled his still wet hair with his hands while running down the stairs. He was late and made it a minute before the opening. Frustrated he realised that Susan was absent again, but today he was sure that it was because of him. Fred was working but had isolated himself in the workroom. The day started as a perfect continuation of his nightmare.

The morning went by slowly and would have been quite boring if it hadn't been for the curious glances and giggles Ron earned. At first, he had been flattered and even winked at one or two girls before he remembered that most of his current problems rooted in his behaviour towards women. So, Ron resigned from flirting and concentrated on his work. But to his utter confusion, the giggling didn't stop. As the morning went by it slowly grated on his nerves and Ron became more and more irritated. He wanted nothing more than to work in peace but the customers didn't seem to care about that.

Plus, for some reason, he wasn't comfortable in his clothes. His pants were too big and slid down a bit constantly, which was annoying Ron because it hindered his work. His shirt on the other side was too tight and he felt constricted and squished. When his shift finally ended he was exhausted and ready to call it a day, fall into his bed and sleep till the next morning.

Ron opened the door to the workroom to tell Fred and George that he was off when suddenly something black fell down on him. Or more like dozens of black little things. After the first shock, Ron eyed one of the things on his shoulder and discovered that it was little spiders.

"GET THEM OFF ME!" He yelled at full volume and started to jump and shrug to get the hated insects away. Meanwhile, Fred and George were laying on their worktable, howling with laughter.

"HELP ME, YOU DAMN GITS!" Ron screamed at them, but his older brothers only laughed harder, small tears were even streaming down their faces.

"Ron," George tried desperately to stop laughing. "Ron- Ron, ca- calm down. They are not- not real." He barked out between his attempts to breathe and abruptly Ron stopped his little shake-the-spiders-off-dance. Suspiciously he eyed one of them and indeed, they were made of plastic and didn't even look real. Nonetheless, a small shudder ran down his spine.

"Very funny," Ron growled.

"And did you know that your hair is pink?" George handed him a mirror and now Ron knew why the guests had giggled about him all day. His normally red hair was dyed a bright, deep magenta and almost seemed to glow. He suspected the shampoo and vaguely remembered that the twins had played the same prank on Percy a few years ago.

"You know, it really matches the uniform. But say, Ron, I get the feeling the shirt is a bit tight. Gained some weight?" Fred winked and unconsciously Ron tucked at his pants. He groaned. Those bloody idiots. He wasn't sure how and when but it was their doing.

"You idiots find that funny?" He glared at the twins.

"Immensely," Fred snickered and showed Ron his mobile. "We even have it on video. How angry would you be if we upload it to YouTube?" Ron saw himself dancing through the room in an attempt to shake off the plastic spiders and it did look quite ridiculous with his pink hair and the bad fitting uniform.

"How angry-? You stupid, idiot- Is that your way of punishing me? I know I was a git but-" Ron started to rant. He could feel the anger boiling up somewhere in his stomach.

"Ron!" Fred interrupted him with a grin. "I'm not mad at you anymore."

"What?"

"I'm not angry with you." Fred smiled genuinely.

"Excuse me when I don't believe that after my day in your little pranking hell." Ron snorted.

"Do you still have a guilty consciousness? Because of Fred, I mean, and your lie." George asked while he swept the plastic spiders into a corner.

"Bloody hell, no!" Both twins grinned at each other and then said simultaneously.

"Mission accomplished."

"Listen," Fred started to explain. "I'm not angry anymore but I knew you would be walking on eggshells around me if I wouldn't punish you a bit. You would either be having a guilty consciousness or you would expect a prank anytime. But now that it's done and went quite beautifully, we can go back to being brothers and annoy the heck out of each other."

"So, I'm forgiven? Just like that?" Ron was still a tiny bit sceptical.

"Just like that." Fred and George both smirked and then handed Ron a bottle of butterbeer and a sandwich, gesturing for him to sit down. A heavy weight was lifted from Ron's heart and with a grin, he took a bite from his sandwich. One down, two more to go. Next, he needed to apologise to Hermione.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Hermione finally had the time to sort her clothes into her brand-new wardrobe and armoire. She had to admit that sorting her books had been more important in the last days and now it was high time as she was tired of searching the countless boxes in the morning for fresh clothes.

"Wow, I didn't know you owned something like that," Blaise called from her bed, where he had taken place three hours ago when he had come to _help_. Since then the only thing he did was commenting on everything and play with her laptop, playing music videos on YouTube and reading gossip articles aloud. In between, he had raided her fridge and pantry and had spread everything unhealthy from chocolate to crisps and other snacks on her bed. Apparently, Blaise had a _cheat day_ today and was allowed to stuff his mouth with everything that made him fat. Hermione was absolutely sure that he would also have a stomach ache in the evening.

The dress Blaise was referring to was one of her older ones, one she hadn't worn in years. It was bright red, had a daring neckline and a flowing skirt. Hermione was about to sort it away when Blaise had asked about it.

"I bought that for the wedding of Bill Weasley." She whispered and remembered the party after the ceremony.

_Hermione was standing beside the dance floor and watched the swirling couples. Ron and Lavender were almost floating as they danced and Hermione sighed. She wanted something like that too._ _After her short affair with Cormac, which was more physical than she liked to admit, she wanted something meaningful. Something real._

_Harry and Luna beside her chatted about some nerd stuff Hermione wasn't interested in but she caught her best friend staring at Ginny from time to time. Hermione grinned at that. She had told Harry a thousand times to just ask Ginny out, after all, she was single again. But the idiot was too scared._

_"May I ask for this dance?" A grinning redhead was offering Hermione his hand. She stared at him, trying to come up with a reason why Fred would ask her for a dance or if this was some kind of prank._

_"Stop overthinking, Granger, I won't bite you." Fred winked_.

_"I'm not overthinking anything. What should I overthink? Why would you think that?" Hermione rambled and almost smacked herself for her lacking eloquence._ _Good to know that one school year of not seeing Fred hadn't changed her being awkward around him._

_"I could see the gears spinning in your head." Fred grabbed her hand, escorting her to the dancefloor without waiting for an answer._

_A slow song was playing and_ _Fred had one hand on her waist and the other held hers, while her second hand laid on his shoulder. They danced how McGonagall had taught them during school and it surprised Hermione. At all the balls at Hogwarts Fred had always danced wild and free, never like this. She didn't even know he could dance like that._

_"You look like I asked to murder you instead of a dance. Why so suspicious?"_

_"I'm just surprised. I always thought you couldn't dance." Hermione stated and Fred broke out in full laughter._

_"And I always thought you couldn't be cheeky." He grinned, charming a blush and a smile on Hermione's face._ _Fred smiled, turned them to a new direction and guided her perfectly around the other dancing pairs_.

_"I thought George and you wanted to flirt with Fleur's cousins?"_ _Fred arched an amused eyebrow._

_"Nah, I was just George's wingman but the git is too hung up on Angelina anyway."_

_"Angelina as Angelina, your ex-girlfriend?"_ _Hermione inquired curiously. There had been countless rumours about Fred and Angelina, but no one really knew what the real deal had been with the two._

_"Why is everyone thinking we were a couple?"_ _Fred chuckled._

_"Well, you went to every Yule Ball together."_ _Hermione tried to shrug but the dancing position made it impossible._

_"Yeah, as friends. It started as a bet in our first year and after that, we just enjoyed having a secure date option." A faster song started and with a twinkle in his eyes, Fred twirled Hermione wildly. A fit of giggles escaped her and she gasped for air._

_"You teased Ron with asking her so damn nonchalant that he yelled at Fleur because he wanted to imitate you. And now you're telling me Angelina would have said_ yes _anyway?_ " _Another small bubble of laughter accompanied her words._

_"It was hilarious, wasn't it?"_ _Fred laughed._

_"It was."_ _Hermione smiled at him and felt her heart racing when he gave a warm, genuine smile back. Since leaving school the twins were wearing their hair short and well styled, something Hermione found very attractive. She had always found the bright Weasley hair beautiful but in combination with Fred's freckles and his cheeky smile, it made her heart melt. Plus, his deep blue eyes always had this little twinkle, an unspoken challenge, that got under her skin._

_"So, back to the topic." Hermione interrupted her own mind, that was dangerously close to wandering off. "George is in love with your former ball date?"_

_"Got it bad, that one." Fred nodded. "But hasn't realised it yet. It started sometime after the last New year party."_

_"Shouldn't you help him?"_

_"I will, as soon as he gets it. Till then I'm going to hinder his poor attempts of flirting with Fleur's cousins."_

_"I thought you were his wingman?"_

_"I am, just not for the girl George thinks." Fred winked and surprised Hermione noticed that they had been dancing for quite some time. They were forced apart when Harry asked to cut in and Hermione watched how Fred walked off to the bar. Her heart dropped._

_"You okay, Mione?"_ _Harry asked with a worried tone in his voice._

_"Yeah," she lied. Nothing was okay. Somehow she had finally connected all the dots and it had clicked. Her awkwardness, her blushing, her racing heart. She was in love with Fred, had been for quite a while as it seemed. Probably for years and all this time she had been too daft to realise it._

"You okay? You're bright red." Blaise crinkled his nose in excitement. "Is that a blush?"

"It's nothing." Hermione quickly answered and pushed the dress in the far back of her wardrobe. Bill and Fleur's wedding had been the beginning of a nerve-wracking and heart fluttering flirting period with Fred that even now charmed a fond smile on her lips.

She liked remembering how they exchanged small compliments or bickered in a flirty way. For quite some time Hermione had been terribly unsure if Fred was really flirting back or was just making fun of her. And then he had lent her his shirt that one evening before her trip to Paris and Hermione had decided to go for it. So, when she had visited him a few days later to return the shirt they finally made a step forward. And then she had to go and fuck everything up.

"You're blushing an awful lot for someone who says it's nothing." Blaise munched on a cookie.

"Maybe..." Hermione opened the box with her winter clothes when her mobile suddenly made a _beep_. Quickly she scanned the text and paled.

"What's wrong?"

"It's from Ron. He wants to meet me tonight, to talk about everything." She bit her lip. She was afraid of finally having _the talk_ with Ron about all their fights and his feelings. It had ruined them already once and it had the potential to ruin them again.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

A few hours later Hermione opened her door for Ron and let him in with a nervous smile. Curiously Ron sat down in the living room and smiling he shook his head at the bookshelves that covered almost every inch of the walls. In between the books, there were picture frames, decorations and little souvenirs. The sofa was cosy, covered with pillows, and the small side tables were full of more books. On one table was a tray with tea and cake and somehow Hermione had managed to even stack books under the table. Ron almost laughed at the familiar habit.

"Do you want some tea?" Hermione's voice was timid and she was chewing on her lip. Ron gulped. He had known this would be uncomfortable but he hadn't expected it to be so... so stiff.

"Yes, please." He managed and watched how Hermione served him a cup. An uncomfortable silence was between them and Ron almost hoped that she would drop the cup, just for the reason to have a sound breaking the mood. But nothing happened and he silently took the cup.

"Ron, I think I should explain what happened-"

"That's not necessary, I remember." Hermione's eyes widened and Ron tried a small smile to calm her.

"No need to panic. Hermione, I remember and I want to apologise. I said and did awful things and I don't want to fight with you any longer. I'm sorry for everything." Hermione teared up and with shaking hands, she put her cup down.

"I'm also sorry. All these years I really regretted that I let our fight escalate like that. I also said terrible things to you. I pressured you and I was so- so angry. I should have contacted you but I was stubborn and-"

"Stop apologising, Mione." Ron laughed. "Let's make a deal. We both apologised and now we're done. We're over it and we're back to being friends. Deal?"

"Deal." Hermione offered him her hand and he took it.

"But one last question. Ron," she gulped, "are you still in love with me? You tried to confess again and... and... I don't know if we can be friends again when this is standing between us." She took her teacup again, but more as a nervous habit of having something to do with her hands. She wasn't even taking one sip.

"I won't lie to you. My feelings are very confused right now. I don't know what I'm feeling and whom I have feelings for. But I think I'm on a good way of getting over you. At least I won't be stupidly jealous anymore." And as he said it, Ron realised it was the truth. He still thought that Hermione was stunningly beautiful and he loved her quirks and her smile, but she wasn't omnipresent in his mind anymore. Somehow it felt stupid to him that he had been so hung up on her. The more memories he gained back, the more his feelings for her vanished. Maybe he really had been able to get over her.

"Good to know." Hermione smiled into her tea and for a moment there was silence again. But it was a good silence. The silence of two friends sitting together. After a few minutes, Hermione offered to show Ron her small flat and they both laughed when Crookshanks hissed at Ron. The ginger cat had slept under the blanket of the bed when Ron had accidentally sat down.

"Bloody monster. Your landlord is allowing you to keep him?"

"My landlord is Sirius and he loves Crooks."

"A match made in hell." Ron rolled his eyes. The eccentric Sirius and the diva cat, he could see how these two would get along.


	15. The Decision

Ron was sitting at the doctor's office and waited for Pye. He was there for his catch up after two weeks of being released from the hospital. The young doctor had ordered a few tests and asked Ron a lot of questions and now Ron waited for the results.

"Okay, Mr Weasley," Pye sat down, "the results look promising. Your injuries have healed perfectly and from what you told me I'm confident that your memories will come back sooner or later. You already recovered a lot and the rest will surely follow." And with that Ron was sent off, as smart as before.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

After their reconciliation, Hermione and Ron decided to celebrate at the shop. They expected that their mutual friends and Ron's siblings would be very glad to have peace again in their circle, especially Harry.

So, when Hermione entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes the next evening for a happy drinking night with her friends she was in a brilliant mood. She felt like floating. Finally, everything was on the table between her and Ron, they had made their peace and most importantly, this time she was sure he really was able to get over her. Maybe he already was. It was a good day. And good timing for her new term in London.

With a soft humming, she sat down beside Ginny. A quick gaze around the shop told her that Fred was behind the bar this evening and she waved a small _hello_ at him. He nodded at her but was too busy to greet her back. Nonetheless, Hermione felt small butterflies fluttering through her veins.

"Hello!" She almost yelled into the round of grinning faces. Everyone was there. Harry, Ginny and Ron of course, Neville, Luna, Lavender, Parvati, Dean and Seamus. The whole old school gang. Most of them had new friends and circles now, but every once in a while they would meet up with the old group. In the last years, Hermione had only attended when Ron had been absent and he had done the same. So today was special.

"Hello Hermione," Neville chuckled and most of the others also laughed. Curious gazes wandered between her and Ron like their friends wanted to determine what exactly had happened between them.

"Okay, you lot, Hermione and I are good and back to being best friends. No need to make a fuss." Ron declared and handed Hermione a beer. Thankful she accepted it and they all toasted to their meeting.

For a while, they all chatted about what was new in their life and what their old classmates from Hogwarts were doing. Like Hermione who had befriended Blaise, and to some extent also Draco Malfoy, some of the others had either still contact with old classmates or befriended some of them after school. Dean and Seamus, for example, had an unusual but strong friendship with Pansy Parkinson and Lavender was rooming with Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein.

In between Hermione tried to steal a glance at Fred in hope to catch his eyes, but he was always working in deep concentration and never once looked at her.

"Okay, who wants shots? I will buy a round." Hermione grinned and instantly all hands went up. With a playful eye roll, she went to the bar.

The reason was of course that she wanted a chance to talk to Fred. Now that the mess with Ron was taken care of she couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, there was a slim chance - a second chance - for her and Fred.

"Hey," with a big smile she sat down on one of the bar stools. "A round of tequila for the loud pack back there." She ordered and with a nod, Fred started to pour the small glasses.

"So, how are you?" Hermione asked while she watched him. "We hadn't really time to talk since I came back."

"I'm good," Fred answered with a polite smile. An odd feeling squirmed in Hermione's stomach. Fred was never polite, not with her. In the past, he had been flirty, cheeky and sometimes teasing, and even after her rejection, he had still been warm, friendly and affectionate. Never once polite. Polite didn't suit Fred and it was his equivalent of being cold.

"How's the shop?" She tried again.

"As you can see, it's going quite well." Fred gestured at the guests, picked up lemons and salt for the tequila and put everything on a tray.

"Here is your order, Granger. Just pay later before you go." And with that he was off to the other side of the bar, taking new orders. A cold shiver ran down Hermione's spine. Since the day they had kissed at his flat - the day he had asked her out - Fred hadn't called her _Granger._ Not once, always _Hermione_ and it had given her hope that one day she would get a second chance. But it seemed like she had waited too long.

With a sick feeling, Hermione walked back to her friends and handed the tray off to the next person and tried to suppress the urge to run away. Instead, she downed a second shot after her first and then another when Dean bought a round and a fourth from Ginny. From time to time she still tried to catch Fred's eye but when his shift ended and he didn't say goodbye to their group. She knew something was off. It was almost like he was angry.

When Hermione stumbled into her flat later she was pissed drunk and miserable. With a satisfying _plop_ , she opened herself a bottle of wine and drank another glass. There was nothing left of her floating high from earlier and she was grateful that she didn't have plans for the next day.

With a knot in her heart, she went to bed and thankfully passed out rather quick.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron was waiting at the shop for his ex-girlfriend and was terribly nervous. When she had suggested meeting at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes his first instinct had been to deny the request and suggest something far, far away from his older brother, who would without a doubt watch them the whole time. But Lavender had been stubborn and so he was waiting for her at a small table in the corner far away from the bar.

Sure, they had spent the last evening together with their friends and it had been nice and all but meeting alone - just the two of them - was an entirely different story.

"Hey Ron," with a smile Lavender hugged him as a greeting and sat down.

"Lavender, how are you? I don't know if you know already but-"

"Yeah, you lost your memory. I heard." Lavender grinned and ordered a coffee from Verity. "So, you are probably freaking out right now because you can't remember that we're actually friends." Last night no one had talked about it or even mentioned it, so he hadn't been sure.

"Sounds about right." Ron sipped on his own coffee and admired how easy it was to talk to Lavender. The last thing he remembered was fighting with her over something stupid. His relationship with Lavender certainly had had its ups and downs and falling in love with Hermione halfway through didn't help. But now it seemed that they were back to being nice and friendly and Lavender smiled genuinely.

"What's the cake of the day?" She asked as she studied the selection from afar.

"Blueberry chocolate."

For a while they chatted about school time, reminding each other of certain events or teachers or people they didn't like. Spending the last evening with the others had supplied them with a lot of stuff to talk about. Their current topic was Cormac McLaggan.

"Remember this one soccer game in sixth year? When you won the house cup?" Lavender giggled and Ron grinned happily. He had been able to play again after an injury and McLaggan had pouted on the sidelines the whole time. After the game, the git had had the nerve to criticise Ron's play and for that Ron had socked him one. Hard. Seriously one of the best days of his life. Especially since Hermione had broken up with the arse a week prior and didn't even scold Ron.

"McLaggan had it coming a long time," Ron smirked proudly. He would do it again anytime.

"Yeah, it really was a memorable day." Lavender smiled but then blushed and Ron needed a minute to understand what she meant. And then it clicked. That night had also been their first time. They had both lost their virginity to each other in an awkward night of fumbling and kissing and trying to do it right. Fortunately, with a bit of practice, they had become better at it.

"Yeah," Ron blushed from his neck to the tips of his ears. "So, what are you doing right now?"

"I'm a personal shopper, decorator and stylist for people who too much money." Lavender made a bored gesture. "But I'm thinking about opening my own shop. Being my own boss." For a while, they talked about Lavender's job and Ron's work at the shop, updated each other on the life of their friends and family and ordered more coffee and cake. But after an hour Ron asked the question that was burning on his tongue.

"So," he took a deep breath, "how did we break up?" Lavender's face slipped into a shocked expression.

"You can't remember?" She asked horrified and Ron nodded dumbly. "Oh sorry, it's just- I didn't know you lost so much..." She played with her coffee spoon for a moment.

"Well, it was a week or so before the spring holidays. We were- we were at the room of requirement..." Lavender blushed and Ron knew why. The room of requirement was an unused classroom and the teachers of Hogwarts thought that it was locked since years when in truth it was used by horny teenagers to get some privacy. They had also used it quite frequently.

"We were at the room and quite... engaged in our activities and then you..." Lavender glared at him. "You called me the wrong name. And that was it. We fought almost the whole night but it didn't change the facts and then we broke up. I was soooo mad at you. You have no idea. It took me quite some time to forgive you." Ron gulped. Even without his memories, he knew exactly which name he had said.

_"Hermione!" Ron groaned as his climax shook through him. With a sigh, he slumped down and pulled her into his arms._

_"Did you just call me Hermione?" She shrieked and when Ron opened his eyes he realised with a sinking heart that it was Lavender who was laying beside him._

_"DID YOU CALL ME HERMIONE?" She yelled._

_"No, I didn't."_ _He raised his hands in defence._

_"You did! Are you cheating on me with her?"_ _Furiously Lavender started to search for her clothes._

_"What? Don't be ridiculous!"_ _He yelled back but her glare told him that she didn't believe a word._

_"Stop lying. Why did you call me her name then?" They yelled like that for hours. He denied everything, she didn't believe him and in the end, Lavender stormed off after telling him that they were done._

"Why did you forgive me?" Ron felt self-hatred wash over him like syrup, sticking at his skin and his hair. He was a fucking arse.

"You apologised. A few months ago. You suddenly called me and wanted to meet me. We talked a lot." Lavender talked about it like all of it was no big deal.

"Don't worry, Ron. You really did apologise and in such an honest way, that I couldn't not forgive you. Everything is okay between us and it surely is a good thing that you also made your peace with Hermione. Brings you closer to your goal." Lavender winked.

"What goal?"

"Oh blimey, I constantly forget about this memory thing. Forget it. You will remember eventually." Lavender bit her lip.

"You know something." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Is this about a girl?"

"You know?" Lavender gasped.

"I only know that there is a girl. A mysterious girl and apparently I tried to change my life for her." A snort escaped his blonde ex-girlfriend.

"Mysterious girl?"

"Susan named her." Ron felt his face heat up. He had invited Susan to their meet-up yesterday but she hadn't reacted.

"Well, that explains a lot." Lavender gracefully sipped on her tea.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it sounds like Susan." She shrugged.

"Who is it?" Ron felt his heart racing. Finally, someone who knew, but Lavender only shook her head.

"Are you crazy? I'm not telling you."

"What? Why not?" Ron almost jumped up.

"Because it's better when you remember in your own." Lavender grinned, an infuriating knowing smirk.

"Oh no, I remember the best when I'm told thinks. It triggers my memory. Pleeeeeeease." Ron whined. This was the last puzzle he needed to solve in order to discover everything in his past.

"Oh my god. Okay, I will tell you, but only under one condition." He nodded eagerly. "Tell me, are really, one hundred per cent sure that you have no feelings for Hermione anymore?"

"I'm..." Ron choked on his own words. He wanted nothing more than to say _yes_ , to assure Lavender that Hermione wasn't in his heart anymore. At least not like that. But it would be a lie. Thankfully Lavender interrupted his racing mind.

"When you told me about your _mysterious girl_ , you wanted my advice. Because I knew about your feelings for Hermione. I told you that you needed to clear things up with her first. And that's what you planned to do. And you did. That's great. But I want you to be sure that Hermione is really no longer the one that you want."

"I won't lie. I'm still hurt and there are still some feelings."

"Then take a few days or weeks. And when you're ready, you can ask me anytime. Or ask Susan."

"I already did, she doesn't know." Ron blinked at her.

"Oh no, she does. And she probably lied for the same reason that I'm not telling you right now. You shouldn't feel pressured, especially when your feelings for Hermione are still there."

She knew! Susan had lied to him. She knew who the girl and she had lied. But Ron found that the lie wasn't the reason why his heart felt like it was weighing thousands of pounds. The reason was that if Susan knew about the girl it meant that she wasn't the one. Ron had never once thought that she could be his mysterious girl, but now that this possibility was definitely off the table, it bothered him.

"You know, maybe I should take a leaf out of your book and also start to apologise to a few people." Lavender chuckled. "Hermione surely deserves one."

"Why? I mean, yes, you weren't friends but you never were cruel to her. Not like Romilda at least."

"Hm, that's a rather embarrassing story." Lavender blushed and started to tell the tale.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Two days after his meeting with Lavender Ron was lying on his sofa and stared at the ceiling. He wasn't sure what to do with his life. Most of his memories were back and he had apologised to everyone. His past was almost uncovered. The mysterious girl was the last puzzle piece. But no matter how much he tried to force a memory to surface, it didn't work.

In between his mind wandered off to Hermione and Susan. The two women he had definite feelings for but he couldn't work out what to make of it. He was fairly certain that he was on a good way to forget Hermione. He wouldn't have been able to think so much about Susan if it hadn't been the case. And his feelings for Susan were definitely different from his relationship with Romilda. Ron wasn't sure if he was _in love_ with Susan, but she mattered to him and wasn't willing to lose her.

Ron was certain that those two clouded his mind and hindered him to remember the mysterious girl. He needed to let go of them, get them out of his head.

"Would you please tell me what your fucking problem is?" George stomped into the flat and Ron was about to give a confusing answer, when he heard Fred.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Something heavy was set down and Ron remembered that the twins had offered to cook for all of them tonight.

"Please, don't give me that carp. You're in a bad mood for days. You're even snappy to the guests."

"Well, I'm allowed to have a few bad days, right? Can't always be happy and funny."

"Fred," George's voice was threatening and Ron pondered if he should reveal himself. On his position on the sofa, he couldn't be seen from the open kitchen.

"Fred, is this about Granger?" George asked and Ron almost jumped. Now he was too curious and decided to listen.

"Because I thought you would be overjoyed now rather than angry. I mean, Ron and she made their peace and our little brother is on his best way to forget about her. Nothing is standing in your way anymore. Why are you not happy?" A deep sigh could be heard and someone pulled open the pantry. Some shuffling noises were sounding through the flat and were soon replaced by chopping noises. Someone had started to prepare food.

"I don't know," Fred finally answered. "I just don't know how to handle her right now. She rejected me and for years I thought it was because of Ron. That she was in love with him. But now that I know he wasn't the reason... I kind of feel betrayed, you know."

"Explain," George ordered. Ron silently turned a bit on the sofa so that he could see his brothers. George was the one chopping vegetables and Fred sat at the table, a sad expression on his face.

"Well, she quit it - _us_ \- because she didn't want a long-distance relationship, right? But when she came back from Romania she still made no move. Instead, she applied for a scholarship in Paris and _puff_ vanished for three years. I could live with that when I believed she fled from Ron but now it feels like she avoided me. And... how am I supposed to switch back to flirting with her, wooing her, with all that history between us?" Ron almost fell off the sofa. How could he have been so blind? Fred was still in love with Hermione. Of course, he was. All that longing gazes, the worrying about Hermione and his defeated comments about his chances. No one talked like that when he was over the girl. Ron could have smacked himself.

"I never understood why you thought she was in love with Ron. She was obviously head over heels for you. I almost kicked you when you decided not to fight for her."

"Actually, you did kick me." Fred tried a laugh. "I don't know. I guess the timing was suspicious. Ron and Lavender break up and a week later Hermione tells me off. You can't deny that it seems a bit farfetched to believe in a coincidence." Fred sighed but Ron's mind started to race. The good thing about his memory loss was that he had become rather good at recounting the events of the last years since he had written down and read everything countless times.

With a sudden decision in mind, he jumped up and startled his brothers.

"Ron, how long ar-" George started.

"Doesn't matter." Ron interrupted and looked at Fred. "So, you're still in love with Hermione?"

"Ron, I know you're not comple-"

"Yes or no, Fred?"

"Yes."

"Then I suggest you man up now and get the girl." Ron grinned at the flabbergasted faces of the twins. That was it. This was the moment he needed to let go of Hermione. Giving his brother his blessing and sending him off to woo Hermione.

"And I even have a bit of information to help your hesitation along. Lavender told me a pretty interesting story, you will want to hear."


	16. Chapter 16

Fred stared at Ron and tried to process everything he had just heard. It was simply unbelievable and so... so Hermione. It was exactly the kind of stupid thing she would do. But Fred knew why she had done it and he could understand it. All his anger because he had felt hurt and treated unfairly vanished from one moment to another and a small chuckle escaped him.

"That idiot," he breathed and Ron and George only shook her heads at his amusement. "Well, I think I will take your advice, little brother. But be warned. If she kicks my ass, I will blame you." Ron just grinned and Fred could hear laughter as he ran out of the flat, almost forgetting to put on shoes.

OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO

Hermione sat on her desk and read a text for university - reading ahead of course - when someone knocked on her door. Puzzled she got up. She didn't expect anyone and most people would call or text before a visit. Everyone knew that Hermione hated surprises and especially surprise visits. The only person who broke this rule was Sirius when he brought Crookshanks or picked him up, but tonight the tomcat was already over at Sirius' flat.

Carefully Hermione peeped through the spy hole and almost forgot to breathe when she spotted the red hair and familiar freckled face. Quickly she brushed down her hair with her hands and hoped that she didn't look too terrible. Slowly she opened the door.

"Fred, what are you doing here?" She asked, carefully trying to sound normal. After the weird evening a few days ago she had been thinking constantly about him. And now that he was standing before her she didn't know if she should be happy or not. One part of her was almost skipping from joy and excitement, but the other part was ready to hide any feelings away so that Fred couldn't hurt her.

"Can I come in?" With a nervous smile, Fred drove his hand through his hair, ruffling it in the process.

"Sure," Hermione stepped aside and mentally took note that she was wearing her comfy, but an ugly and way too big red sweatshirt and old leggings. Fred, on the contrary, was handsome as ever in his dark jeans and green shirt.

Insecure Hermione followed Fred, but he paced through the room instead of sitting down. There was an uncomfortable silence, which made Hermione's heart beat painfully.

"Tea?" She asked in a helpless attempt to relax the situation and was on her way to the kitchen before Fred could give her an answer. She busied herself with boiling the water and measuring the perfect amount of tea leaves when she recognised Fred was stepping into the room behind her. From the corner of her eyes, she could see that he was leaning against the doorframe and watched her silently.

_What's with that weird visit?_ Hermione thought and just when she was about to ask Fred about it when he suddenly spoke first.

"Why did we never tried again after you came back from Romania? Or to be more precise, why did we never tried at all?" He asked and Hermione almost dropped one of her brand-new teacups.

"What?" She looked up and saw that Fred's face was serious and without any sign of his usual mischief.

"You told me you didn't want a long-distance relationship and that's why our date was off the table. So why didn't we go on that date after you came back?" Fred was still leaning against the door frame, apparently relaxed and set to discuss this matter fully.

"Well, I went to Paris?" Hermione stammered, averting her gaze as she pulled the teapot out.

"But that wasn't your plan from the beginning, was it? You also applied at universities in London and you were here for weeks before the acceptance from Paris came. Why didn't we go on that date?" Fred inquired.

"Why is that so important? It didn't happen and I moved to Paris. And why are asking me that like I should know the reason? We both didn't do anything." Hermione snapped at him.

"Yeah, but I know why I didn't ask you again and now I want to know why you didn't try to approach me." She could hear the teasing in his voice. She didn't know what game Fred was playing but it was already grating on her nerves.

"Is that so? Then you go first. Tell me, why didn't we go on that date?" Hermione challenged. Behind her, the kettle signalled that he was finished and she poured the hot water into the pot.

"I didn't ask you again because I thought you were in love with _Ron_. I thought you rejected me to be with him. Your turn." Fred grinned, satisfied with her flabbergasted expression.

"That's the most ridiculous..."

"Your turn," he smirked.

"Why do I have the feeling that you are waiting for a very specific answer?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at Fred, who was smiling even wider.

"Fred..." She threatened in a low tone. "What do you want to hear? I wanted to find out if Ron was still in love with me and when we had this huge fight it was clear that nothing between us could happen without hurting him."

"Finally," Fred's smirk transformed into a genuine, warm smile, "now one last question and I'm done with torturing you." Hermione handed him the tea with a huff and leaned back against the counter, as far away as possible from the mischievous redhead. His behaviour was unnerving her.

"Well, then fire away," she waved at him and sipped on her own tea.

"When did you truly find out about Ron's feelings for you?" The teacup almost slipped out of Hermione's hands.

_Hermione was sitting in her dorm room, lazily reading a book in her comfy pyjamas and with a hot cup of cacao by her side, when Lavender marched into the room. Curiously Hermione raised her head. Her dorm-mate normally spent her weekend nights with Ron hid away in some corner doing god knows what. Or she was off somewhere with Parvati. But their third dorm mate was with her twin sister tonight, so Hermione was surprised to see Lavender._

_She was about to say something when Lavender was already standing in front of Hermione and a second later she felt a hard, stinging pain on her face. Shocked and unable to say something Hermione stared at the blonde, who was still standing before her with a raised hand and red eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks._

_"What-"_

_"YOU ARE SUCH A BITCH!" Lavender yelled. "I knew we weren't friends and I knew Ron and you had the potential to be more than friends, but never in my whole life I would have thought that you would sink so low." Lavender stormed off to her own bed, ripping pictures of her and Ron from the wall. With each picture, she seemed to get more and angrier till she finally chucked them all into her bin._

_"Lavender, what the hell happened?" Hermione eventually found her voice._

_"Ron and I broke up! I hope you're happy, now you two can do whatever you want." Lavender hissed, but the still streaming tears betrayed her anger._

_"Lavender," Hermione sat down beside her roommate, "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." For a long moment, the blonde eyed her suspiciously, but then she started to explain. Started to talk about what had happened and why she was so angry. With a sinking heart, Hermione listened._

_"You know, I'm not stupid. I saw how he looked at you the last months and the way he reacted when you dated Cormac. But I was thought - hoped - that you weren't interested in him. And that I could win Ron's love back with time." The blonde glared at Hermione with a vicious gleam in her eyes and for a moment Hermione thought Lavender would slap her again. But then Lavender let out a long sigh and leaned back against her bed._

_"I- I don't know what to say." Hermione felt a harsh pain in her heart and pictures of Fred flitted through her mind. Fred, who was waiting for a date since the beginning of the year. Fred, who was writing her texts and letters and sent little gifts. Fred, who she had been crushing on for what felt like an eternity. Fred, who kissed heavenly and made her heart race. Fred, who was Ron's older brother. With a pang, the pain exploded in her chest and tears streamed down Hermione's cheeks._

_"Is that guilt? Are you trying to convince me that you are still the nice, goody-two-shoes Hermione Granger?" Lavender's voice was pure poison but Hermione ignored her and left the room. She needed space._

_O O O_

_The next morning Hermione sat beside Harry at the breakfast table when Lavender and Ron told everyone that they had broken up. They refused to explain why and proceeded to ignore each other, but Hermione made sure to watch Ron carefully. If he really was in love with her, like Lavender believed, then she would surely recognize something in his behaviour._

_It took her a few days. She had to be low-key and careful, but then one day she managed to hear Ron and Harry talk. It had been a coincidence. Hermione was coming from the library late that evening and was just about to climb the stairs to her dormitory when she heard Ron and Harry enter the common room. She turned around to greet them when she heard her name. She froze and listened. She heard how they discussed Ron's feelings for her and how he wanted to confess soon. And that was all she needed. With a racing heart, she fled to her room and sank down on her bed._

_A thousand thoughts raced through her mind. What now? How should she react? Confront Ron? Tell him about Fred? Could she still date Fred? Two days Hermione was torturing herself over this before she made the decision to visit her parents for the spring holidays. Maybe getting away for a few days would her deal with it._

_O O O_

_Getting away didn't help. Being in London when Hermione knew that Fred was just a bus or taxi ride away, that she could visit him any time, was the worst. The desire to see him and share her fears with him was almost unbearable. But she could never put him in that place. How could she tell him that his little brother, who was her best friend, was apparently in love with her? That was the perfect setting for hurt feelings and a cruel fight between brothers. And the Weasley boys were known for having quite a temper._

_As Hermione laid on the bed in her childhood room, staring at the ceiling, and thought about this, she suddenly made the decision. She needed to take care of Ron first. She needed to settle things with him before she could even think about dating Fred. Maybe, after some time, when Ron was over his feelings for her, she could ask Fred for another chance. And so she made her way to the shop with the decision to break her own heart._

_O O O_

_Hermione had regretted that decision in the last years countless times. The first time had been after Ron had confessed at her farewell party. His harsh, hurtful words and their fight had made her regret giving Fred up just to spare him the heartbreak. But it had also proved to her that she had made the right decision when she rejected Fred and asked for more time. And going to the reserve gave her and Ron the time and space they needed._

_Or so Hermione had hoped. The second time she had regretted the decision had been after the big fight three years ago. When Ron had shown her that his girlfriend was more important to him than their friendship... well, let's just say that it had taken her some time to even think about forgiving him. For months, maybe even for a whole year, she had been so angry and furious at Ron. And at herself. She had sacrificed something wonderful - someone wonderful - and she realised with time that it had been a dumb thing to do. A foolish thing._

Hermione just stared at Fred, who still had the most annoying smirk on his face. She didn't know why, but the words got stuck in her throat. She didn't want to tell Fred about this stupid decision. He wouldn't understand it. Fred was braver and bolder like her. She knew - had always known - that he would have done things differently. Fred would have confronted Ron right away.

"Hermione," it was the first time today he said her name and a small shiver ran down her spine. "I asked you a pretty simple question. For someone as smart as you, I thought you would answer faster."

"I get the feeling that you already know it anyway," Hermione snapped. She had enough of this ridiculous game. "Just tell me what you want, Fred."

"I want to have that date." Now he didn't grin anymore and with a big step, he stood right in front of her. There was a twinkle in his eyes, his lips twitched a bit and before Hermione could answer anything, he was already kissing her. Softly, like a whisper, a fleeting moment. Hermione had no time to react. She just stared at him, at his damn annoying - but still cute and cheeky and sweet...

She pulled herself out of her own mind and with one smooth moment Hermione was on her tip-toes, leaning into Fred, and pulled him down to her with one hand behind his neck. She could hear him snigger before their lips finally met again. This time harder and longer but still slow and like they had all the time in the world. Hermione gasped for air when they finally parted. A familiar tingle rushed through her. Her lips burned, her heart was beating in a wild rhythm and her fingers itched with the need to touch Fred. She was surprised and delighted that even now, after four years, kissing Fred still felt the same. It felt like an adventure, like a miniature explosion deep inside, like jumping off a bridge and enjoying the fall. Kissing Fred was a wild ride, a category of his own.

"Was that so hard?" Fred breathed into her hair, wrapping his arms tightly around her. Hermione buried her face in his chest, looping her arms around his neck, and shook her head a silent _No_. For a while they just stood like that, just hugging each other. Then Fred started to press soft kisses against her head, her neck and her cheek. His lips wandered slowly towards Hermione's mouth and finally found her lips again.

"So, that means we are going on a date?" Hermione asked with a small giggle, while Fred trailed his lips around her neck to the other side and playfully let out a puff against her ear.

"Nah, we are skipping the dating phase," Fred stated. "I vote to press fast forward right into the relationship."

"Do we?" Hermione took a step back and arched her eyebrows. "And here I thought I would get the full Weasley-women-wooing-experience," she teased and Fred leaned his forehead against hers.

"Oh, believe me, that you will get. More than you wish for. You will get flowers and candle night dinners and embarrassing love declarations in front of everyone and everywhere. You get the whole program. We will just skip that annoying are-we-a-couple-or-not-dance. We. Are. A. Couple." Fred pronounced every word and pecked her lips, making Hermione's heartbeat even louder and faster.

"And I don't get a word in that decision?" She asked playfully. It was crystal clear to both of them that there was no going back after tonight. Even without Fred's insistence, they would have been a couple. He was right. They didn't need a dating phase. They had been waiting for this day for years.

"Nope, mainly because expect that George and Ron have already told everyone they know about us."

"What?" Hermione froze a bit. The thought of Ron remembered her of her former reasons against _this._

"Didn't I mention? Ron sent me here. I believe his exact words were _man up and get the girl._ " Fred snorted and proceeded to kiss Hermione, giving her no chance to question it further. And as he trailed his lips to an especially sensitive spot behind her ear, she decided that it wasn't that important. The real important thing right was Fred and the really, really nice way he caressed her sides and back with his fingers.

"Well, since we are skipping that dating-shit," Hermione grinned up at Fred, "am I right in assuming that this also applies to the three-dates-rule?" An innocent smile was on her lips as she asked the question, to which she never got a _verbal_ answer that evening.


	17. The Sleepless Night

Ron sat beside George, both still staring at the door, where Fred had vanished a few minutes ago. The enthusiasm of their older brother really was amusing and surprising at the same time. Ron had never seen Fred like that.

"Was about time," George finally muttered and went back to preparing dinner.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked a bit puzzled.

"Well, I told the idiot years ago that this stupid agreement between you two was a bad idea and that he shouldn't give her up so easily. But he wouldn't listen." With easy fingers, George started to cut the vegetables and then pulled ingredients out of the fridge and the kitchen cabinets. Ron was amazed by how well his brother knew his way around when Ron still wasn't even able to find a teacup in his own kitchen.

"You think she feels the same for him?" Ron asked, a tiny bit afraid of the answer. He hadn't thought yet about the possibility that Hermione could actually say _Yes_ to Fred.

"If she doesn't I will have to knock some sense into her." George grinned and pulled a large pot out of the cabinet, filled it with water and turned on the heat. "They are both idiots."

"Hm…" Ron hummed in a vain attempt to cover up his uneasiness.

"Ron," the voice of his brother had a low, angry undertone, "it's too late to regret it now. You sent Fred away and now he will get his girl. And believe me, she _is_ his girl. Probably has been all this time."

"What makes you so sure?" Ron snatched a carrot.

"Well, you remember when Hermione had her interview for the volunteer ship on the reservation? It was a few weeks after Fred's accident and he was still pretty weak and slept a lot. But you two had already made this stupid agreement and when Hermione came to the hospital, I sent her away. I was probably too cruel to her, too angry, but I hadn't had the nerve to see her there. In my eyes, she had broken my twin's heart and I didn't want her near him." He paused, staring into space for a moment.

"But as soon as she turned and walked off I knew, she was in love with him. I never told Fred about it, it's the only secret I ever kept from him. And ever since I watched her and tried to find out what the hell was going on. But I never took charge because I didn't want to take sides between you and Fred, so I observed and waited. Till the day I found out that you had broken the agreement and that was the day I decided to intervene." George told everything in a calm way, while Ron shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

"So, you think they will become a couple right away?" Ron heard how small his own voice was. He had sent Fred off on a whim, not really thinking about the possible outcome.

"Of course," George snorted. "I doubt that Fred will let her go, now that he finally has the chance. And with the way Hermione looked at him in the last weeks, she will neither. Better get used to the idea quickly, little brother, because you have to live with it. And I dare you to get jealous or behave like an idiot." With a stern look, George started to chop the meat in small, square pieces.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Ron muttered and snatched another piece of paprika. While he munched on it, he thought about Hermione. How had he missed her being in love with Fred, when it had clearly been so obvious? Was he really that bad at being her best friend, that he had missed this? Probably. During school, he had had Lavender and his own problems. And after that, he had been too busy trying to confess. The possibility that Hermione would like someone else, had never occurred to him. And after that, he had been angry and hurt by her rejection and tried not to watch her too closely.

Ron sighed and reached for another piece of vegetable, but George smacked his hand away. With a huff, his older brother dumped the meat and the vegetable into the boiling water. For a while, they just sat in the kitchen, with two bottles of beer, talked about the shop and waited till the dinner was ready.

When the smell of fresh stew finally waved through the flat, Harry and Ginny emerged from their room - their shared room where they slept together, something Ron tried to ignore very hard - and kept them company. It turned into a very nice, long evening. A peaceful evening and Ron felt lighter and warmer than ever.

Harry's and Ginny's reactions to Fred and Hermione were downright hilarious and helped Ron immensely to get used to the situation. While Ginny only yelled a loud _I knew it_ and started to complain that Hermione hadn't told her anything, Harry almost choked on his beer. He, like Ron, hadn't been aware that there even was a _thing_ between Hermione and Fred and he started to bombard George and Ron with thousand questions.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Much later that night Ron turned sleepless in his bed. Now that he was trying to let go of Hermione, another woman was tormenting him. Susan. She was still angry and Ron could understand it. He had no idea about his own feelings anymore. Did he seriously like Susan? More than Hermione? Could he fall in love with her, now that he tried to let go of Hermione? Or was he already in love with her? Did Susan have feelings for him, since she had kissed him back? Would she even believe him, believe his feelings, if he confessed?

It was a terrible situation and weighed down his heart and mind equally. It frustrated Ron to be that unsure about himself. He desperately wished for the rest of his memory to come back just so that he would know what to do. Who to love. But a small part of him also wished that his memories would never come back because he didn't want to let go of Susan and the one kiss they shared. But what if he made the same mistake with her that he made with Hermione? Falling in love with a girl he was friends with and betraying their friendship with that.

With a sigh, he reached for his mobile. He had made the decision to let Hermione go, that was the first step forward, away from his feelings for her. Slowly, with a rapidly beating heart, he searched for the right number. It was late but Ron hoped she would pick up. Finally, after a few rings, she answered.

" _What do you want?"_ Susan's voice sounded tired - well, it was two in the morning - and a bit irritated. Ron sensed that she wasn't in the mood for small talk and a nice chat, so he decided to just hit her with the news.

"I gave Fred my blessing to be with Hermione." For a moment there was absolute silence and Ron feared that maybe Susan had hung up.

" _Good for you_ ," she finally muttered.

"I wanted to tell you because I think... I don't know, I just wan- I wanted you to know that I'm working on my issues." Ron stuttered, catching his own blushing face in the mirror from the corner of his eyes. He almost smacked himself. He had fucking practised this speech, he had known exactly what he wanted to say and now he was messing it up. Shaky Ron took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Listen, Su, I'm trying to work it out. I'm working on getting over Hermione and I'm trying to get the rest of my memories back, and- and... And I just want to apologise for kissing you. I still don't know why I did it. And I understand that _I don't know_ isn't a good enough explanation for you and I get why you are angry and..." Ron drew in another breath. "Su, I don't want to lose you as a friend but I'm not sure if I see you as just a friend anymore and..."

" _Ron, if that is going to be a love confession then let me stop you right here_." Susan interrupted him, her voice sharp like a knife. " _It's really great that you're working on it, but please don't tell me you fell in love me or something like that. Because I don't think you are in a place right now where you really aren't able to know what you're feeling. I think it is best when you try to find out what you want first. Try to finally get over Hermione for real._ "

"Yeah, I know." Ron felt his stomach drop. He had thought about all of this. He knew it himself.

"I know, and that's why I'm calling. I need time to find out what I want, _who_ I want and I think it's best not to fall head over heels into the next relationship. Be single for a while. And not the kind of single where I pick up girls every other night, but the kind of single where I try to find out what I want to do with my life. I just wanted to tell you. And I needed to apologise. I think you had enough of my drama and it was unfair of me to pull you into it all the time."

" _Ron… I don't know what to say. Just- just try to get your memories back. I think that will be best_." Now Susan didn't sound angry anymore, but a bit defeated, tired and sad.

" _Thanks for calling me. And for the apology_." Ron only heard the small _click_ when Susan hung up, followed by a heavy silence. With another sigh, he stared at the glowing display of his phone. This was possibly the worst outcome ever. He didn't know what he had expected, but he certainly hoped for something different. What exactly he didn't know either, but maybe something… nicer.

Groaning Ron got up and pulled the photo album out. He spent the rest of the night looking at pictures from the last four years. Most things he remembered again, a few things still didn't ring a bell. But after a while, he noticed - to his own surprise - that his gaze wasn't searching for Hermione on every photo anymore. Instead, he looked at every person, tried to remember how his relationship with his old friends had developed in the last years and why. And he tried to find the mysterious girl, tried to trigger his memory to remember her.

With that goal in mind, Ron finally fell asleep when the first sunlight filtered into his room.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

While Ron drifted off into a fitful sleep, Hermione woke up from a very short, very sleepless night. She woke after two short hours when Fred turned in his sleep, searching for her, and pulled her into a close hug. It was a nice way to wake up, but still, she was wide awake.

For a while, she just stared at Fred. At his sleeping face, which was so peaceful and innocent without the usual smirk and the twinkling eyes. She spent almost an hour trying to count the freckles on his face, his shoulders and his naked chest. Sometime after 300 she had lost count and stopped the vain attempt. Instead, she tried not to remember the night, something that made her blush all over instantly.

Never in her life had Hermione had sex with a guy without even dating him properly beforehand. It wasn't that she thought it was wrong, she just had some trust issues that made it impossible for her to have one-night-stands. Sometimes she wished she could be more relaxed about this. But after trying to pick up a guy in a bar in Paris one time, just to flee the scene in pure panic, she settled on the fact that she just couldn't.

With Fred, it was of course different. She had known him for years. She trusted him. And she was fairly certain that she was already in love with him, had been for years probably. So it didn't really count as a one-night-stand. Especially since they had already decided to be in a relationship. And still, she was surprised with her own boldness.

"Stop thinking," Fred muttered with closed eyes, pulling her closer at the same time. She could feel his slow, relaxed heartbeat and felt his hot breath on her hair.

"How do you know that?" Hermione huffed playfully, snuggling into his chest. She loved how Fred always smelled like coffee and sugar from working in the shop.

"I could practically feel it." He cracked on eye open, blinking sleepily at her. "You don't have second thoughts, right?"

"What? No!" Hermione quickly spluttered. "No, I was just thinking about… how fast everything went. I'm a bit surprised by myself, to be honest."

"Let me guess, you're normally not that kind of girl." Fred chuckled, something that made his whole body vibrate and Hermione felt a warm, pleasant shiver running through her. The fine hairs on her arms and neck quickly formed goosebumps.

"Exactly," she managed with a pout.

"I don't care about what kind of girl you are, as long as you are my girl." The redhead grinned down on her, while he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. The simple gesture made Hermione blush instantly and Fred's grin even wider. With one swift movement, he pressed her to his chest, naked body against naked body, and kissed her passionately. For minutes they were absolutely immersed in their own world, caught in tasting and discovering each other. Hermione felt the pleasant heat radiating from Fred's chest, felt his heartbeat and the soft lifting of his chest when he breathed.

Slowly, gradually, the snogging turned into something more and more heated. Like last night, one kiss turned into two and then into a French kiss, when Fred softly coaxed Hermione to open her mouth for him. Their tongues danced and suddenly Hermione ran her fingers through his red hair, fingering the softness and caressing his neck. And then, without knowing how it happened, Hermione was on her back. Fred was simply stroking her sides, her breasts and her neck, while they kissed. But it was clear how it would go in.

A small moan escaped her as Fred finally decided to pay some attention to the dropping ache in her lower stomach. With soft kisses, he went down, down, down till he reached the soft flesh between her legs. Hermione felt like blood was rushing through her ear when he started to kiss and lick and once again she didn't care about what _kind of girl_ she was as her first orgasm of this morning washed every clear thought out of her mind.

With a way too smug smirk on his face, Fred emerged a second later, leaving a trail of kisses on her stomach and breasts. Wordlessly Hermione reached for the top drawer of her nightstand and tossed him a condom. But before Fred could even open the small package, the sharp ring of the doorbell pulled them out of their blissful togetherness.

"Just ignore it," Hermione whispered and pulled Fred up to her face, kissing him. For a minute or so it worked, then it rang again.

"Just ignore it," Fred whispered this time, but a few seconds later it rang again. This time accompanied by a loud knock on the door. Whoever was disturbing them so rudely, was obviously already inside the house and in front of her door.

"Hermione!" A deep, male voice called and Hermione felt Fred stiffen over her.

"Shit," she cursed, "that's Sirius. He's bringing Crooks back." In under one minute, Hermione was out of the bed, dressed in a large shirt and some short and running to the door. Quickly she opened the door for a frowning Sirius, while Crookshanks dashed into the flat.

"What took you so long?" The older man huffed.

"I overslept," Hermione tried not to blush, but in this very moment a painful cry from behind her betrayed her lie. Shocked she peered around the corner and almost choked on her own laughter. Fred was sitting upright in the bed, while Crookshanks sat on the root end and stared at him intently.

"This monster bit me in the foot," he just explained with a whine. Beside Hermione Sirius stepped inside and gasped.

"Hermione Granger! Is that a naked Weasley twin in your bed?" He asked in shock, but a gleeful smirk betrayed him. Hermione could almost see how the former, self-declared marauder made plans in his head how he could tease them the best.

"Wait till I tell Moony." Sirius whistled and then winked at Hermione. "Good for you. I always knew you needed a troublemaker in your life. Just like Lily."

"Thanks," Hermione answered with a crimson red face. Amused they both watched how Fred and Crookshanks stared at each other with deep distrust. Both seemed reluctant to make the first move to look away or to stand up, and so Fred was unable to greet Sirius himself. He just nodded vaguely in their direction, his gazing never leaving the cat.

"Well, I leave you alone. Seems like you will have a lot of work to get your boys to tolerate each other." With a deep chuckle Sirius left, shaking his head in amusement, and Hermione stepped back into her bedroom. Well, it was not the first time that her cat had bitten or scratched one of her boyfriends, so she wasn't surprised.

With a sigh, she sank down on the bed beside Crookshanks and pulled the struggling little wannabe tiger into her lap.

"Bad, Crooks, bad." She scolded while stroking the cat, who only purred and still glared at Fred.

"You know, it seems more like you're rewarding him," Fred commented with a slightly jealous tone in his voice. Hermione only laughed, got up and carried Crookshanks to the kitchen, where she filled his bowl with food. That would certainly keep him busy for a while.

"Well maybe, but I will make it up to you." She grinned, as she slipped back into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There: a bit of fluff and happiness :) Now we just have to see who is Ron's mysterious girl ;) Any guesses?


	18. Chapter 18

The day after his phone call with Susan Ron Weasley made a simple decision: To enjoy life. To rediscover his life. He wanted to know and to experience who he had been in the last years. He felt like his only memories of the last years were horrible reminders of his past mistakes. He had only regained a few positive memories and so his new mission was to trigger more of them. Or at least experience positive things now. Therefore he decided to meet all of his old and new friends and his family.

In the first week, he visited Bill and Fleur and their baby daughter Victoire, who he fell in love with all over again. The small girl was absolutely adorable and Ron couldn't wait for his new niece to be finally born. He also met with Percy for lunch, apparently, they actually did that from time to time, and skyped with Charlie. His oldest brothers were all worried about him, but after seeing that he was fine they treated him normally. With his parents, Ron phoned regularly again but didn't tell them too much. He didn't want to worry his mother, who would probably take the car and drive all the way to London without a break if she heard about his injury and memory loss.

Meeting his friends was the most fun he had had in the last weeks. Most of them he already met at the party or one get-together since his memory loss and they were eager to fill him in about past happenings and stories.

Dean and Seamus, for example, were overjoyed with the possibility to tell Ron all their old stories and jokes again. They told him about the time when they discovered their feelings for each other and behaved like idiots for a while before they finally accepted their sexual orientation and became a couple. Ron spent loud evenings with the couple at their flat, watching soccer games, drinking beer and telling old - and new - tales. Sometimes Harry and Neville would join them for a so-called _Dorm Room Reunion Party_.

With Harry Ron, of course, spent most of his time. They finally found the time to really talk about the last years, since Ron had been too preoccupied with his problems and Hermione in the last weeks. But the time with Harry was, without doubt, the most precious. They talked about their time living together alone - before Ginny had moved in - and the freedom and peace Harry had finally experienced after moving out from the Dursleys. They talked about their past and present relationships and girlfriends, well they tried but Ron wasn't keen on hearing details about his little sister. So Harry only told him one tiny, little detail.

"You know, one day I will marry her," Harry had said with a dreamy smile on his face. "It's just… I look at her and I know it. Not now, not in the next years, we're still too young. But someday I will ask her." They had cheered to that with their beer and since then Ron had fewer problems with Ginny sleeping in Harry's bed. Not that Ginny would have given a damn about his opinion.

"Ron, quit making that face every time I say good night. I already said it once and I can't believe I have to say it again -because I actually threatened you to never make me repeat it - but I'm an adult and I sleep where I want and with who I want. And you should be happy that I do it in a stable relationship with a guy you actually like." That had been her exact words when Ron had scowled one day as Harry and Ginny went to bed together. Harry, of course, had blushed furiously, while Fred and George had only laughed wholeheartedly.

"Fine, as long as you are happy." And after sulking a bit Ron was actually able to mean it. Since then he also spent more time with Ginny. She had made it her mission to show Ron everything about current pop culture. They watched movies and TV-shows together, listened to songs and bands he had never heard of and drove to the other end of London to eat some crazy food that apparently was some kind of trend. Ron was a bit confused about how some cupcakes were worth the way, but he had to admit that they tasted good. Still, he liked the ones from the shop more.

One person he spent a lot of time with was Lavender, to his own surprise. Sure, he remembered that they had had a lot of fun during their relationship and all that, but he had been sure that it wouldn't be fun anymore with Lavender as soon as they stopped the snogging and shagging part. But the contrary was the case. Now as friends they had even more fun together. They went shopping - now Ron finally knew where all the new clothes came from -, tested new cafés and Lavender even persuaded him to go to a night club every now and then.

With Fred and George Ron spent hours in the shop and the workroom. To the twin's delight, Ron showed a lot of interest in their work and wanted to learn more about the process of making all the stuff they sold. So his older brothers started to teach him everything he needed to know and after a few weeks, they casually mentioned that they wanted to expand and offered Ron a job. The idea of managing an own shop for them was quite tempting, but for the time Ron wanted to finish his studies and get his master degree. And after that, well who knew.

And while Ron's relationship with his brothers as twins and a pair was quickly improving, he felt quite strange when he was alone with Fred. For two weeks they both avoided talking about Hermione at all. Fred had only told Ron that they decided to start dating, but no details and Ron was more than grateful for that. He was still not ready to be sincerely happy for his brother. His heart still twitched painfully when he thought about Hermione and knowing what exactly she did with his brother… well, it was something Ron didn't even want to imagine. He convinced himself successfully that Fred and Hermione only talked, held hands and went on long walks together. Nothing more!

His illusion was destroyed when he saw them one evening in front of the shop. It was quite late and he had stayed longer to clean. Fred and Hermione had walked out of the house - oblivious to Ron seeing them -, holding hands and smiling at each other, when Fred had suddenly leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't a snog or something inappropriate, but something worse. It was a pure, loving and sweet kiss, short and quick. It showed Ron how absolutely in love the two of them were and he discovered something amazing. His hurt and heartbreak was an old pain. A pain that resided from old scars that sometimes twitched and itched, but the wounds were already closed and healed. He could watch them kiss and it didn't hurt anymore. He was fine. So when Fred pulled him aside a few days later, he could wholeheartedly grin at the stupidly worried face of his brother.

"Ron, I didn't want to ask but… are you okay with me and Hermione? I know you said it and send me away, but I don't want to hurt you-"

"Fred, I'm okay," Ron smirked. "More than okay. So you don't have to keep it secret when you meet. Just don't make too much noise when you shag." Fred's face fell in shock at Ron's joking tone and Ron almost screamed a loud _YES_ as he had finally for once rendered his older brother speechless.

After that day Hermione visited the shop - and Fred of course - more often and came over for dinner with the whole gang more often. Fred and she still weren't rubbing their relationship under Ron's nose and were pretty discreet with their physical affections - something Ron was thankful for regardless - and slowly his own friendship with Hermione went back to the state of years ago. It was hard work and a long way, but after one month of only meeting with other people in a group, they managed to go for a beer only the two of them. And they actually had fun. They talked about everything, apologised for the thousands of time to each other and laughed about their stupid fights. And Ron enjoyed teasing Hermione about Fred immensely. Every time he asked about their relationship his best friend would blush a deep crimson red and stammer something to change the topic.

All in all, Ron spent two good months with rediscovering his life and the more he learned about his past years - the small details, not the big events - the more he began to like himself again. It was like a mosaic that slowly completed itself in his head. A mosaic about Ron Weasley - friend, brother, barkeeper, student - that he quite liked. There was only one problem left and it had red hair and a cheeky smile: Susan Bones.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron let out a frustrated sigh. He was behind the bar of the shop, working his evening shift, and watched as Susan took orders from a table full of guys. The men were obviously flirting with her, asked for her to take a drink with them and one of them constantly made Susan compliments. And they were drinking a lot. Too much. This was the third time in one hour that the table ordered a new round of beer and with every round, they also ordered a vodka shot.

With a blank face, Ron took the order from Susan, who didn't even give him a glance and started to prepare everything. But instead of calling her when he finished, he took the tray himself and went to the table full of loud men.

"Oi, where is the cute waitress?" One of the drunken idiots cried and half the table searched for Susan. But she was at the other end of the shop, talking to Fred, who had the evening shift with them.

"She's busy," Ron grumbled, set down the drinks and walked off. He wasn't jealous. No, not at all. He was just pissed that Susan was still giving him the cold shoulder. Two months! It had been two months since their phone call and the mood between them was still weird. But Ron wasn't sure if he should address it or not. For now, he was just glad that Susan had come back to work after a one-month absence and was now working shifts with him again. Sometimes he thought that maybe, just maybe, she was as sad and angry with the situation as him. But she never said something and was always carefully indifferent, cold and absent towards him.

"Ey, cutie! Can we get a new round?" Ron almost snapped his back as he turned around. The loud, drunken guy from before was waving at Susan. But she stayed put on her spot far away, while Fred came to Ron.

"It's time to bid those pleasant guests goodbye, I think. Care to help me, little brother?" With a grin, Ron nodded and followed Fred to the table.

"Gentlemen, as wonderful as it is to have you in our fine establishment, I fear it's time for you to leave. There is a pub around the corner that is more your style, I think." Fred smiled sweetly, but with a firm tone in his voice.

"Spoilsport," one of the drunks muttered, but without discussion, they all paid and stood up. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes had a reputation of not being niminy-piminy with unwanted guests. WWW didn't have big, terrifying doormen like other pubs or bars, but it had the twins very own reputation of being vengeful troublemakers and pranksters.

"Oh and you gingers, tell your hot sister that I'm up for anything." The loudest one called as he stepped out of the door and suddenly the whole shop looked surprised at Susan. The guy had made it sound like she had invited him, but her blush and angry scowl made it clear that it was unwanted attention.

An hour later Ron was cleaning up the counter when Susan stepped out of the backroom, already in her normal clothes. With a nod and a small smile, she bid him goodbye and made her way home. Ron sighed again, probably for the thousands time that evening. It had been like that since weeks. Susan would come to work, only talk with him when necessary and then proceed to ignore him. And he just didn't know how to break the circle. There was nothing new he could say to her. He wasn't in love with Hermione anymore, but Susan didn't believe him. And for some reason, she was fixated on this whole _mysterious girl_ thing more than ever.

With a defeated feeling in his chest Ron sank down on his bed and prayed to all the gods in the world that finally, please, he would remember the last pieces of this mosaic that were his life.

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

_Ron was bored. The evening was slow and he was tempted to call Pansy over for afterwards. Distracted he opened her contact when he heard a high scream._

_"Stop that!" Susan yelled at a guy, who sat at the counter and was clearly pissed drunk._

_"Everything okay, Su?" Ron walked over to her. Instantly the drunk guy made some gesture to defend himself and almost fell out of his seat._

_"Everything's fine," Susan glared. "He just wanted to pay up and go." With way too much force she slammed the bill on the counter, waited with an angry frown till the drunkard found his money and then proceeded to show him the door._

_"Very impressive," Ron whistled. Most of the other waitresses called for help when they needed to throw out a guy, but Susan always handled it herself._

_"Not really, I'm able to handle a guy or two." She shrugged. "I want to be an inspector, so I should be able to, right?" With an easy smile she walked off to take new orders and Ron stared after her in awe. He had never thought about it like_ that.

_OOO OOO OOO_

_"I hate this!" Ron whined. He was sitting over his notes from the law seminar and tried to cram everything inside his head. "I never thought we would have to learn so much legal stuff."_

_"What did you expect? We are studying criminology. You have to know this when you want persecute criminals." Susan rolled her eyes and focused on her own notes._

_"Pfhhhhh," he let out a breath. "Let's order food." Ron opened a delivery app on his phone and searched for their favourite Thai restaurant. Blindly he handed the phone to Susan, who picked her dish and handed it back without even looking up. It was always like that. They could communicate without many words and trusted each other deeply. Sometimes Ron thought that somehow Susan sensed what he was thinking - maybe even before he was thinking it._

_Half an hour later they sat in front of the TV and watched Netflix while they ate their Thai food. Susan had recommended a new series about some gang violence stuff so that could at least pretend that it helped them with studying. But it didn't take long till she fell asleep beside Ron, as always. Chuckling he threw a blanket over her and switched to the sports channel._

_It was three in the morning when Ron woke up and realised that he also fell asleep on Susan's couch. Tiredly he tried to decide if he should stay or go home but ultimately decided for the second since he was already half asleep again._

_OOO OOO OOO_

_"Ron?" Susan's tired and confused voice woke him up from a very nice dream. He couldn't exactly remember it, but his body was obviously pleased with the dream. Slowly Ron opened his eyes and stared right into Susan's green eyes, who watched him carefully. Somehow during the night, they had snuggled together, both under the same blanket and fully clothed._

_"Good morning," he mumbled. "Sorry, I fell asleep yesterday and it was too late to go home."_

_"It's okay." With a red face, Susan wiggled away from him and stood up._

_"Coffee?" She called on her way to the kitchen and Ron almost forgot to answer as he realised that she had surely felt his erection earlier._

_"Yes!" He yelled and tried desperately to think of his mother or sister or this stupid Umbridge bitch in order to get rid of his problem._

_OOO OOO OOO_

_"Oh, come on, Su. You know I'm faithful as hell when I'm in a relationship. I just want to have some fun till I meet the right one." Ron frowned at her. He couldn't understand what Susan's problem was with him shagging Pansy in the storeroom._

_"Maybe you need to stop that fun in order to meet her. You better clean up that room." Susan hissed and walked off to greet some guests._

_OOO OOO OOO_

_"What do you mean, I need to stop my fun?" Ron inquired curiously. Susan was ignoring him since Pansy left hours ago and refused to enter the storage room. But her remark stuck in his head. Susan eyed him a few minutes before she carefully formulated her answer._

_"Well, you have to ask yourself one question. Which girl interested in a relationship would take you seriously right now? Imagine she meets you for the first time when you leave a broom closet with one of your conquests."_

OOO OOO OOO

_Ron wasn't sure why, but Susan's words after his quickie with Pansy were playing on repeat on his mind. Why would any girl take it badly when he had a mutually benefitting relationship with a woman? He wasn't even interested in anyone and if he was, he wouldn't be meeting Pansy._

_OOO OOO OOO_

_"How do I make sure a girl takes me seriously?" Ron asked and Susan jumped a bit at the sudden question. She had been in deep concentration, counting the day's takings._

_"What?"_

_"Two weeks ago, you said that girls wouldn't take me seriously. So, how do I change that?"_

_"You met someone?"_

_"Didn't say that." He grinned at Susan's frown. He knew she was a curious person and wanted to know everything as soon and as detailed as possible._

_"Then why would you ask that?" She countered._

_"Precaution," he grinned brighter and chuckled a bit at her annoyed huff. It was so easy to wind her up._

_"God," she groaned. "I don't know. You could start by stopping to shag random girls."_

_"That's all you have?"_

_"Well, as long as there isn't a specific girl, I don't know what to tell you. Unless there is one." Susan narrowed her eyes at him._

_"Nice try."_

_OOO OOO OOO_

_"What would be the best way to ask a girl for a date?"_

_"Shouldn't you know that already? You have dates all the time." Susan asked confused._

_"Nah, in my past relationships Lavender and Romilda made the first move. And picking up a girl is an entirely different story than trying to get a serious date."_

_"So, you did meet someone," Susan stated with a grin similar to the Cheshire cat._

_"I didn't say that."_

_"Then I can't help you."_

_"What? No, please, Su."_ _Ron almost begged._

_"Hmpf, okay. It depends if you already know the girl or not." She said and waited for an answer, but Ron only shrugged._

_"Prepare me for both cases."_

_"So, you do know her and you just don't want to admit it." She accused with a laugh._

_OOO OOO OOO_

_"Just tell me," Susan whined._

_"There is nothing to tell," Ron answered with a grin and handed her the order. They were playing this silly game for hours. Every time Susan came to the counter to give or take an order she would ask about his_ mysterious girl _and Ron would deny everything. It was driving her crazy but Ron had too much fun to end the game._

_In the beginning, it had just been his honest curiosity about her opinion as a woman about topics like dating. But the more he had asked her and the more she tried to pry information out of him, the more fun this whole discussion had become. And Ron had to admit that he was no longer asking because he wanted to ask someone for a date. He did it because he enjoyed Susan's reaction. He liked how she took an interest in his life and especially in his love life. He liked how curious she was. And he liked that somehow this leat to hour-long talks between them about everything and nothing. Sure, they had been friends for months by now and had often talked and learned together in the past, but now it was different. More personal. And Ron liked getting to know Susan on such a personal level. And maybe, if he was honest to himself, he just simply liked her._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is! New chapter! I hope you like it, leave me some sugar :)


	19. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! There is an epilogue waiting for you and then this story is sadly finished. I had a lot of fun writing this story because it's something different and I always had this idea stuck in my head about a boy losing his memories and everything is different than he thought. I hope you had fun too and liked this story :)

_Ron wasn't even sure why he had started with this whole dating-advice-from-Susan-thing. It had just happened and somehow, along the way, he had started to consider asking her for a date. He had started to ask for her preferences and what she wished for. But unfortunately, he never got much information out of her. Because Susan Bones was stubborn._

_Susan was quite a challenge for him. In his past relationships, Ron had never made the first move and even when he picked up girls, it was seldom him who made the move. Most of the time he was able to comfortably wait for the girls to chat him up and he just reacted according to their suggestions. It saved him the effort and the possible heartbreak of investing himself in someone, who wasn't interested in him._

_And heartbreak was something Ron feared more than anything. Hermione had been the only woman he ever confessed his feelings to and, well, that hadn't ended that well for him. Or her. Actually, even when Ron had thought about worst-case-scenarios before his confession, he had never imagined that it could go that bad._

_Now that Ron was slowly falling for Susan, he feared that the exact same thing would happen again. Again, he had fallen for a woman he was friends with - close friends - and who possibly only saw him as such. And the more Ron fell for Susan and thought about the situation, the more he became afraid of repeating his old failure._

_OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO_

_Are you even listening?" Susan smacked Ron upside the head. They were sitting at her apartment, learning for their finals again. Of course, Ron hadn't listened to her. He had looked at her. At her moving lips and sparkling eyes and how she always twisted one strand of her hair, when she thought about something difficult._

_Sorry, what did you say?"_

_Honestly, this is the third time tonight that you are spacing off." Susan huffed. "Maybe we should stop here and try again tomorrow?"_

_Yeah, maybe…" Ron doubted that it would change anything if they tried again tomorrow. Susan would be the same distraction tomorrow that she was today. But maybe it was a good idea for him to go home before he made a complete idiot out of himself._

_OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO_

_Ron stared at the picture of Harry, Hermione and him from the graduation ceremony. Right now he desperately wanted to talk to Hermione, to his best friend, who he missed so much that it almost hurt. He knew he wasn't in love with her anymore, he was sure. But he still wanted her in his life. And he needed closure. Closure for his sake, for the sake of their friendship and in order to finally decide what he wanted to do about Susan._

_The last days had been torture for Ron. Whenever he saw Susan, he was torn between asking her for a date, confessing that he liked her, and his own fears. Right now he watched how she playfully flirted with a guest at one of the tables. A frustrated groan escaped Ron as he saw how the git scribbled his number on the bill and handed it to Susan._

_He. Needed. To. Do. Something._

_OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO_

_You're coming to my birthday next week, right? We are going to this new pub." Ron laid on Susan's couch, his feet in her lap._

_Sure," Susan nodded absentminded and stared on her mobile._

_Who are you writing with?" Ron tried to snatch the mobile out of her hands, but Susan was faster and only poked her tongue at him._

_I'm not writing with anyone right now. I'm thinking about writing… someone." She blushed a bit and then sank back into the couch. Curiously Ron sat up and slid beside her. With a nod, he persuaded her to tell him more, while his heart began to stutter nervously._

_There is this guy, who gave me his number a few days ago. And I don't know if I should write to him or not. I mean… it's crazy, right? He is a complete stranger. What do you think?" Susan looked at Ron expectantly and for a moment there was only silence. Ron's mind turned into overthinking, worrying within seconds. A thousand questions started to pop up._

_What if Susan decided to write this guy? What if they really dated? What if Susan fell in love with him? Or with someone else in general?_

_And then Ron surprised himself and Susan. He leaned down to her slowly, gave her one last chance to jump away, and then he kissed her. Ron Weasley kissed Susan Bones and it felt incredibly good. Her lips were perfectly soft and warm. As he touched her face to pull her closer, he discovered how soft and nice her skin felt. Her hair was tickling the back of his hand._

_"That wasn't exactly an answer to my question." Susan blinked confused. "Why did you do that?"_

_I think it was the perfect answer to your question." Ron grinned. "I think you shouldn't write to him."_

_What about this girl, the one you were always… oh!" Sudden realisation hit Susan as Ron began to smile even wider. And before he could say anything to explain his feelings, she was kissing him again. Their warm lips melted together and an exciting shiver ran down his spine. For long minutes they just kissed, tasted each other, and slowly started to caress and stroke each other. Every move was careful at the beginning. Ron and Susan both were shy and not used to being more than friends. But with every kiss, they grew more and more confident._

_So, I presume you aren't going to write this guy?" Ron asked in between and Susan only rolled her eyes._

_And I presume all my advice were useless since you still didn't ask me for a date?" She teased, then hit him on the back of the head._

_Oh, what was that for?"_

_Do you have any idea how jealous I was because of this stupid mysterious girl, you always talked about?"_

_I never said that there was a girl. You made that up all by yourself."_

_Git" It was obvious that there was someone. I just never thought that it was…"_

_You?" Ron chuckled. "Kind of surprised me too." He leaned down and captured her lips again._

_OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO_

_Sighing Ron read the message from Susan. She was sick in bed with a nasty cold and wouldn't come to his birthday party. He wanted to celebrate with her so badly, but she had almost forced him out of her flat for the evening. Susan had convinced him to go celebrate with everyone since she was too sick to be good company - her opinion, not his - and so he was out and trying to be cheerful. But he missed her. They hadn't told anyone yet beside Lavender, who kind of sniffed it out of Ron by pure luck. So Ron couldn't even tell his friends and family why he was so moody tonight._

_But somehow his brothers and Harry seemed to sense Ron's sullen mood and spent the evening by buying him drinks till he was so drunk that he started to take shot after a shot. It was quite wild and the last thing Ron remembered was that the barkeeper threw them out after Ron accidentally knocked down a tray of beer. And then he tripped and everything went black._

**OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO OOO**

Ron woke up with a racing heart. That was it. That was the rest of his missing memory. That was all of it. He was absolute, hundred per cent sure. Finally!

_Susan_ … her name echoed through his mind as he had finally remembered the title of his favourite song. Without hesitating one minute Ron jumped out of his bed, took a quick shower and then dressed as fast as he could. And before one of the siblings could ask him where he was going, Ron was already out of the house and called a taxi from the sidewalk. The whole way he was fidgeting in his seat and only when he stood in front of Susan's door, he calmed down a bit. But then she opened the door, still clothed in her pyjama, and glared at him.

"Seriously, Ron, you need to stop coming by whenever you want to. You do realise that-" With a grin Ron leaped forward and kissed Susan midsentence. Like the last time she reacted instantly, but this time she didn't kiss back but instead pulled away.

"What the hell?" She almost shouted at him. Anger flaring in her eyes like a thunderstorm and Ron knew that he had to be careful now if he didn't want to be thrown out again.

"I remember." He stated with a simple smile in his lips and for a second or two Susan didn't react. She just stared at him. They both still stood in the doorway, Ron outside of the flat and Susan inside, till she suddenly turned around and waved at him to follow her. Susan slumped down on her couch, pulled a blanket over her legs and stared silently at Ron.

"Hmm," he hummed unsure of what to that and then sat down on the other end of the sofa, opposite to Susan and with a bit of security distance between them. He had expected this to be a lot different. He had hoped she would be happy and overjoyed about him having his memories back.

"Say something." Susan almost pleaded.

"I remembered a lot in the last two month, but last night finally the most important part came back. I remember how I was asking you about that _mysterious girl_ ," he rolled his eyes at the word, "and how I fell in love with you slowly over time. I remember how afraid I was about telling you. And I remember how we got together. How we kissed for the first time. How we had one wonderful week before I was a git, got drunk and hit my head." Susan just stared at him, still silent but with obvious tears in her eyes.

"Su…" He wiggled over to her, but sudden anger flashed in her eyes and she jumped away from him.

"Don't touch me!" She started pacing the room. "You forgot about me. You forgot your feelings and what we had. I know, it was short and no one knew, but we had something and you just forgot about it."

"Su…"

"No, let me say this." Her eyes were full of hurt. "Do you have any idea how this whole thing was for me? The whole time I waited for signs that you hadn't changed that much. That you were still the guy I fell for. And instead I had to listen to your heartbreak over Hermione. I mean, I knew you had been in love with her. We had talked about this before we even became _more._ But seeing, hearing, experiencing it myself how you were around her, with fresh feelings, that was completely different." A tear rolled down her cheek.

"And then you kissed me. That was the worst thing ever. Because you did it without even knowing why and I…"

"Su," Ron pulled her down into his lap, stroking her hair softly as she sobbed into his shirt. "Su, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I forgot about you, about _us_. I wish I had remembered sooner. I wished I hadn't hurt you like that. Please, believe me." He murmured into her ear.

"How can I?" She sobbed and it almost broke Ron's heart in a thousand little pieces. "You forgot me and were in love again with Hermione. What if you will always be in love with her? And all it takes to bring those feelings back is a little hit on the head?"

"Love, I do hope that I'm not going to hit my head ever again." Ron laughed softly into her hair. "And I can assure you that Hermione and I are nothing more than friends finally. This whole thing - losing my memories, reliving everything - as painful as it was, it was good for me. It helped me to heal some old wounds and to find closure with Hermione. You know I wanted that closure for ages and now I finally have it. I let her go."

"Fred and she are together finally?" Susan blinked up.

"Yes, they're so in love, it's disgusting the shit out of George apparently. They are still trying to be subtle around me, but that makes it only more fun to tease them." Ron smiled down at Susan, but a painful look flitted through her eyes.

"No, don't…" Ron stumbled over his own words. "It's not like that. I'm not hurt by it and they know it. They just don't want to annoy me or make me uncomfortable. It's kind of a weird situation but we are all good."

"And you're sure about that?" Susan inquired, her eyes narrowed at him.

"Yes. And you should be too, because you are, without a doubt, the person who knows me best. Since we became friends you have always been the person I trust and I told you more about my past, my secrets and my feelings as anyone else. You truly know everything about me." Ron leaned down, but wasn't sure if should take the remaining distance and kiss her. Susan took the decision out of his hands when she reached up and tangled a hand in his hair, pulling his face down.

Sitting on the couch, cuddled against each other, they kissed like there was no tomorrow. Their past kissed had always been sweet and slow, but this was hard and full of longing. Almost three months ago, when they kissed for the first time and were a couple for one week, they had wanted to go slowly. To not do anything rash. But now it was different.

Ron pulled Susan closer, always closer, to his chest, and tried to stroke every inch of her pyjama clad body. And Susan was doing the same. She pulled and hugged and stroked him like she was reassuring herself that he was really there, really himself again. And suddenly she was pulling his shirt over his head, her top was gone in the next moment and they were laying on the couch. Ron pressed Susan into the soft fabric while he sucked on her neck. It would surely leave a love bite, but that was quite okay for him and Susan didn't seem to care either. She moaned loudly as he trailed kisses around her neck, from one ear to the other, and then started to get down to her breasts. Meanwhile, he could feel how Susan tried to open his pants and failed miserably. A soft snicker escaped Ron when he heard her frustrated huff.

"Something you need help with, Su?" He teased and kissed a straight line from her breast to her bellybutton.

"Off with it." Susan shot back, a twinkle in her eyes. Ron started to strip down, but as soon as he was naked in front of her, he hesitated.

"You sure?"

"Yes, you idiot." Susan smiled and with one swift movement her own pyjama pants were also off, and she wasn't wearing anything under them. With a painful longing in his belly, Ron climbed down to the beautiful woman again and pressed their bodies together. Her naked skin against his felt almost too good to be true. For long, sensual minutes they only kissed and stroked each other. Ron needed all his concentration to stay calm and slow instead of pressing fast forward. He was still hesitant. What if this would hurt their fragile relationship even more?

"You are thinking too much," Susan whispered and then bit down on his earlobe. A groan escaped Ron and suddenly all their movements became more urgent. From one moment to the other Susan was on top of Ron, grinning down in him as she slit down in his stiff erection. Ron's head fell back on the couch with a low thud as he felt her warmth around him. Susan set a slow pace first, melting them together, while she had her hands on his chest to steady herself.

With open eyes and a soft smile, Ron watched her, his hands on her hips. He watched her smile down on him. In between Susan leaned down and kissed him with passion and fire, effectively breaking the rhythm she had set, just to pick up right where she stopped seconds later. It was driving Ron crazy and more than once he wanted to flip them, change positions in his favour. But then Susan got faster and faster and the friction between them became electric. Ron watched how Susan came apart with a sudden moan and stilled for a moment as her orgasm clouded her eyes. But it didn't take long before she started to move again, torturing Ron, always dancing on the edge of his release with an evil smirk in her angelic face.

When Ron finally came it was like heaven. Never in his life had he had such a strong and perfect physical connection to a woman before. This was unique. Susan was unique. Tired he pulled her to his chest, threw the blanket over them and just smiled at her. They spent hours after that just talking about the past months, about their relationship and how they felt for each other.

**ooo**


	20. The Epilogue

Hermione and Susan were huddled together under one blanket on the couch of the twins' flat and watched curiously how the Weasley brothers, Harry and Ginny yelled at the television. Apparently, there was a pretty important soccer game of their favourite club going on. But Hermione and Susan were both not that interested in the sport and were therefore rather enjoying the reactions of the others.

"Those bloody idiots! Can't you finally get the bloody thing in?" Ron yelled and almost jumped out of his seat. A soft snort escaped Hermione and she probably would've made a comment if Fred hadn't been equally excited. Her boyfriend was as emotional as his youngest brother and screamed at the TV just a second later.

"Good god," Susan sighed, "do you want a drink?" With a nod, Hermione followed Susan to the kitchen where they prepared a tray of beer for the soccer fans in the living room and some strong cocktails for themselves.

"There you are!" Ron exclaimed excitedly when they came back and pulled Susan - under the protest of George and Harry, who were sitting beside him - into his lap.

"We won!" Giggling Susan laced her hands around his neck and soon enough they were both snogging the hell out of each other. Hermione rolled her eyes and set down the drinks for the others before she sat down beside Fred.

"Oi quit the snogging." Fred hit Ron's head with a paper ball. His happiness with the relationship didn't stop him from teasing Ron whenever possible.

"Yeah, it's pretty disgusting." George huffed from his place beside Ron and wiggled up.

"See you, I'm spending the night at Angie's place." Accompanied by wolf whistles George went off, quickly followed by Harry, Ginny, Ron and Susan, who went to the flat above.

"I still don't know how I find it that Ron is shagging our best waitress," Fred muttered while he started to clean up.

"You love it." Hermione laughed as she picked up empty bottles and carried them to the kitchen. After Ron and Susan had finally officially confessed everything about their complicated relationship, they had quickly been accepted by everyone. Hermione especially liked the redheaded girl as Susan was the first of Ron's girlfriend who didn't treat her as an enemy. Fred, on the other hand, had been overjoyed to see his youngest brother so happy.

"Perhaps," the ginger stole a quick kiss. "Hopefully they stay together. I like Susan. And she really is our best waitress."

"What? You're actually concerned to lose her at the shop? Don't be ridiculous."

"Now you are being ridiculous. If they ever break up we are firing Ron to hold Susan." A twinkle lit up in Fred's eyes as he set down the last bottles on the kitchen counter and pulled Hermione back to the living room. They both sank down on the couch.

"So, did Bones get you drunk?" He asked and waggled his eyebrows as Hermione snuggled against his chest.

"Nah, just a bit tipsy." She grinned and a second later she knew why he had asked. Slowly Fred lowered her on the couch, pressing soft kisses on her neck. Smiling they both drifted away to cloud nine together.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this story was a bit unexpected at some points, and not only because of the plot twists. When I started Adore You I never planned for it to be so Ron-centric. Originally I wanted to switch to Fred and Hermione after a few chapters, but somehow I liked Ron and his storyline too much and then came Susan… well, I fell in love with them and it changed the original plot. I know such a story isn't everyone's taste, so I'm glad you all seemed to like it.
> 
> It was an experiment and it ended not how I expected it, but I'm quite happy with the result. I hope the end wasn't too rushed.


End file.
